St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-03-08
A Timber Cruisers Defense.
By Franklin Welles Callkins.
-

r. HE occasional perils encountered
/ by the professional timber-cruis-
er-the man who goes into the wider
ness to Investigate the value of tim
Der lands-are well illustrated by the
experience of Harvey Secoin, of Bel
trami, Minnesota.
Young. Secoin had for some years
served as assistant to his uncle, Lot
lowering, a cruiser of wide experience
and high fees. lowering was, how
ever, at last laid by the heels by the
cruisers arch-enemy, rheumatism, and
his young pupil was called upon by
the Beltrami Lumber company to re-
turn an estimate of the standing
timber on some 20 odd square miles
of land they had bought, at a ven
ture, in the heart of Itasca county.
This was vast territory, the lower
river courses of which were as yet
but uncertainty traced upon the maps.
While loading wagon with his
boat and effects at Beltrami, Secoin
was greeted bya smooth-faced strang-
er, wearing suit of drab corduroy
Is
a card which read: Frederick Zal-
meier, Real Estate, ST. Cloud, MINI.
II came on last evenings train," he
explained. '.Jnst heard you were off
for the upper Big Fork. Yes, well,
I've got piece Of land up there I
want to look at. Struck me we might
kill two birds with one stone on the
livery hire. Besides, I'd like to go
with a man who knows the woods"
AS the man was prepossessing
enough the cruiser consented to ac-
company him, and ten minutes later
Zalmeier was ready with blankets and
.pripsack. Then, with an experienced
driver. the two land-lookers set out.
For number of days they pushed
over a bush-grown surveyors road,
and then travelled by boat for one day
upon the spring flood of Big Fork.
Then the cruiser searched for a gov
eminent blaze and markings, and
took observations.
"We've passed your line little" he
reported to Zalmeier. "YouH find
your markings by compass, six miles
east and one and one-half miles south
of here.
.sBless us. young man." said this
cheerful fellow. show you know the
woods! I'm going to hire you to do
my lob. I'll wait here until you get
back. and I'll take your word for 1t,
soil. timber stand
.But can't do your job now,' in
terrupted Secoin.
.Not for 1882
.Not for twice-ten times 25! re-
,,,;ed the cruiser Indignantly. he
thought real estate man ought TO
better understand cruisers duty 70
his employers.
Iookinp keenly at his companion,
- saw swift, involuntary change OF
eountenance, and instantly he tingled
...:.,, susnicion. Then he said, uncom-
promisingly:
..Mr Zalmeier, if you know any
thing about cruising, you'll find your
iond easily. If you're afraid OF the
goods follow the river back to The
royernment road and go home
3 .Rut.'' said Zalmeier, blankly, Il
,,refer to go on with you now.
"That you can't do" promptly re-
.ronded the cruiser. i've done by
yen as I agreed, and I shall carry you
10 farther"
aOh. WE'LL said 7almeier, cheer
al. ..since I'VE come so far, III have
- look after my land. of course" and
:. sbouldered his grip and blanket
~, and set OF into the woods.
secoin lost no time in padding
,ewn stream, and at about four
o'clock crossed the south line OF the
80 lands which he was commits
Pnaa to estimate. He now exercised
s'o ar,,;ser,s caution, hiding his boat
: al his camp within the depths OF