The Saint Paul globe., 1900-02-18
Pine LAND THIEVES
STATE AUDITOR DUNN SAYS, ARE
MUCH LESS UBIQUITOUS THAN
REPOfsTED
vERYsscLosE WITCH Is KEPT.
Some TrespasserstEAresD Detected and
Punished, butzstha. Majority of
Sensational Reports Thus Far
Explored Have saeen Found Base
Iess-Cruisers, aAree Kept ) Busy,
However Il N g.a

State Auditor Dunn isI.on the warpath
after trespassers upon state lands, and
Is receiving reports daily from his twelve
cruisers who are. scattered through the
timber area of Minnesota. Mr.. Dunn,
however. finds reports of trespasses as
frequently without foundation as well
grounded, and withal 1t keeps him very
busy looking up reports from people who
think they know that the state Is being
robbed right and left.
He received a report yesterday that
was addressed direct to the governor
from a Cass county man, stating that
$7,oOO,O00 feet had been cut on one school
section. Inquiry proved that the parties
cutting the timber had bought the stump
age a year ago.
The Duluth Evening Herald Of a few
days ago contained a wild story about
the wholesale cutting of timber in the
vicinity of kelsey Mr.. Dunn stated yes
terday that he might put little faith in
the report had 1t come to him through
any other source than the Duluth Even
ing Herald. He stated, however, that he
would look up the matter. 1t was not
possible to cover the state with twelve
men. but every school section would be
checked up within the next year, and If
any trespasses had occurred the guilty
party would be made to settle, as 1t was,
he said, difficult, under the present con-
ditions, to escape detection, as the logs
do not lose their identity except when
sold in small quantities.
JJiS Foroa Of orl,icars oouJd-,,ot Ie or,orxr
place at once, but sooner or later the
trespass would be discovered. Mr.. Dunn
stated that the state Is not the only
holder of pine that suffers from the
depredatfons Of small loggers. One Of
the prominent Minneapolis lumbermen
told him short time ago that his COM
pany had lost 1,000,000 feet through tres
paSsers The company employs twice as
many cruisers as the state, yet owns one
tenth the amount Of pine, and, even then,
there Is bound to be loss.
With the state, howeverj Mr.. Dunn says
that less timber IS Stolen than might be
expected, as rigid rules have been adopt
ed, and whenever man is found steal
ing the state timber Intentionally he is
prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
There is an imprisonment clause to the
law relating to Tespassers, and Mr..
Dunn has determined to enforce 1t with
out fear or favor whereIit appears that
there has been willful confiscation Of
the states pine. It very often happens
that contractors cut over the line. and
the policy has been In such cases to Sc
cure from sa,icruiser an estimate Of the
value of the pine and charge a double
price In settlement as a penalty. ~,
A few days ago Mr.. Dunn received a
check for $1,20O from a company which
had cut in the neighborhood. of 275,O0O
feet that 1t was not entitled to on a
school forty. This, however. IS rather
the execution. as the general rule is that
trespasses are small The presence Of
the states cruisers in the various locali-
ties has good moral effect, however,
and preventsta great loss to the state 4,
y, Llra k-rs -