The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-11
MORRIS TIMBER BILL
Measure for the Chippewas' Benefit
Explained Concisely.
COMMITTEE REPORT OF MR.. CURTIS

Bill Regarded Not Exactly Ideal, but
the Rest Under the Cir
cumstances..
IF, From The journal bureau. Room rs, Post
S"Hding, Washington.
Washington, April 11.-Representative
Curtis, in his report on the Morris Chip
pewa timber bill, has stated clearly and
concisely for the benefit Of rninformed
members the reason for the passage OF
the bill and the effect of it. He says:
The bill reported by the committee is in
tended to amend sections and 5 of the act
OF 1889, commonly known the Nelson act,
which are the sections providing for the dis
position OF the pine lands. 1t may be safely
said that no act has been so troublesome to
the government as has the law to dispose OF
the timber lands Of the Chippewa Indians Of
Minnesota. The department has done all it
could to protect the interests Of the Indians
and of the government, but has been unable
to do so except by withdrawing the timber
from the markets The plan of sale provided
IN the original act was far from satisfac-
tory Great frauds were committed. Upon
investigation 1t was found that many tracts
amount reported in the estimates. The valu-
able timber on this reservation has been
disappearing, and the government has been
eXpending large sums Of money for salaries
and to the Indians. and but small amount
has been received from the sale OF timber.
There are 4,747,931 acres of land in the
Chippewa reservations in Minnesota. There
were nearly 5000, 0G0 acres of land coded. or
this amount about 100000 acres have been
nln cd law, nIy hn,, 40,
be examined and classified. There have been
900 acres of timber land sold and 5OO,02o
acres Of agricultural land homesteaded.
The commissioners who were sent out to
treat with the Chippewas reported that the
pine coded was estimated by the various
parties at from s25, 900 600 to $50 000, 600, but
the department has received from the sale
of said timber and lands only l,00, 440,4 40.
while it has paid out and advanced over
$2,S0O,0OO. The secretary of the interior, the
members of the Minnesota delegation in con-
gress and the members OF the Chippewa tribe
of Indians ask that the act of Jan. IA, 1889,
be amended.
True Value Approximately.
This bill amends sections and 5 Of the
act of Jan. IA, 1889, and your committee be-
lieves that this measure will enable the
rotary of the interior to dispose of the pine
lands at something near their true Value that
the Indians will derive a vast sum from the
sales, and that great good will result from
the change in the manner of selling the tim
Der. In addition to protecting the interest
of the Indians in the sale of the pine lands,
provision is made for the preservation of
enough pine lands to prevent the absolute de-
struction of the pine forests and also in part
to protect the headwaters of the Mississippi
river. '- ..a-.- -
This measure provides for the survey Of the
lands; careful examination of the same by
forty acre lots for the purpose of ascer-
tanning on which lots there is standing or
growing pine timber; the keeping of a record
of the pine lands; the designation of the
agricultural lands; the submission of'the lists
of pine and agricultural lands to the secre-
tary of the interior for his approval; the filing
of the lists in the land Office of the distrct
within which said lands are oca ted the sale
of the pine lands by the secretary Of the in
terror under such rules and regulations and
at such times and places as he may designate,
the scaling of such pine timber under Scrib-
ner's rules, in the log, after being cut; the
reservation for refOrestation Of ) per cent of
said pine timber on certain reservations.
.-as- Advertisement ana Prices. sea-.
Provision is made for the advertisement ana
sale of said pine timber in government sec
tons or in districts not exceeding ten sec
tons, the sale to be only by separate sealed
bids for timber on each section or district
such bids to be made on separate sections
and also on groups of not to exceed ten
lions, as the bidder may prefer, and bids to
be received in both forms on the same land
The bill fixes the minimum price at 81 per
1000 feet b. M for Norway pine and SIS per
1000 for white pine, and it gives the Secre-
tary of the interior the right to increase the
said minimum price if he deems it just and
proper so to do. The bill authorizes the Sec
rotary of the interior to permit the pur-
chasers to erect mills of a capacity of not
less than 10000 b. H. of lumber per day on
said sections. Your committee thought this
provision should be made, for, if taken ad-
vantage of, it will give employment to large
number Of the Indians reservations. IN
der the provisions Of this bill the secretary,
prior to the sale Of the pine, must give four
weeks notice of such SALE the first publica-
ton to be at least six months prior to the
date of the sale. Provision is made for the
publication of the notice in number of the
leading newspapers Of the country.
This extensive notice is provided in order
to give the lumber dealers Of the various
sections of the country ample time and OPP
portunity to examine the pine timber to be
sold and to bid for the same The bill pro-
vides that in cutting the timber on 100000
acres of pine lands, to be selected by the
forester of the department of agriculture
with the approval of the secretary of the in
terror, on certain of the reservations men
toned in the bill, the purchasers shall leave
per cent Of the pine timber thereon for the
purpose of reforestation, and the lands so Sc
lected shall thereafter be known as forestry
lands" Certain other lands and islands are
reserved from sale and placed under the con-
troll of the said Forester.
AIlOtments Protected.
The allotments made to the members Of
the tribes are fully protected, and purchasers
Of timber are not permitted to interfere with
allotments which have been or may hereafter
be made. The provisions made for the seal
ing, stamping and bark marking of logs are
so complete that any log purchased can be
easily traced The bill provides for the COM
pletion of the allotments to the members of
the tribes and directs that the surplus lands
be opened to settlement practicable
after the passage of this ac,.
Your committee knows that legislation
which will enable the secretary of the in
terror to protect the interest of the Chippewa
Indians of Minnesota is greatly needed. The
timber upon the reservations is very valuable
and, If properly sold, will bring the tribes
many millions Of dollars. Great wrongs have
been perpetrated against these Indians, their
pine lands have been undervalued, and the
secretary of the interior has been powerless