Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-01-23
A Timber Cruisers Defense.
By Franklin Welles CaIkins.

THE occasional perils encountered
L by the professional timber-cruis-
er-the man who goes into the wilder
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 vas 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 a vast territory, the lower
river courses of which were as yet
but uncertainty traced upon the maps.
While loading a wagon with his
boat and effects at Beltrami, Secoin
was greeted bya smooth-faced strang-
er, wearing a suit of drab corduroy
and a soft hat. This man presented
a card which read: Frederick Zal-
meier, Real Estate, st. Cloud, MINI.
II came IN last evenings %train," he
explained. Gust heard you were off
for the upper Big Fork. Yes, well,
I've got a piece of land up there |
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 vas prepossessing
enough the cruiser consented to ac-
company him, and ten minutes later
Zalmeier was ready with blankets and
gripsack. Then, with an experienced
driver, the two land-lookers set out.
For a number of days they pushed
over a bush-grown Surveyors road"
and then travelled by boat for one day
upon the spring food of Big Fork.
Then the cruiser searched for a gov
eminent blaze and markings, and
took observations.
"We've passed your line a little" he
reported to Zalmeier. "You'll find
your markings by compass, six miles
east and one and one-half miles south
of here"
"Bless us, young man." said this
cheerful fellow, show you know the
woods! I'm going to hire you to do
my job. I'll wait here until you get
back, and I'll take your word for it,
soil, timber stand"
"But I can't do your job now" in
terrupted Secoin.
"Not for 1882"
"Not for twice-ten times PSI" re-
piled the cruiser Indignantly. He
thought a real estate man ought to
better understand a cruisers duty to
his employers.
Looking keenly at his companion,
he saw a swift, involuntary change Of
c~ountenance, and instantly he tingled
with suspicion. Then he said, uncom-
promisingly:
"Mr. Zalmeier, if you know any
thing about cruising, you'll find your
land easily. If you're afraid Of the
woods, follow the river back to the
government road and go home"
"But," said Zalmeier, blankly, II
prefer to go on with you now"
"That you can't do" promptly re-
sponded the cruiser. "T've done by
you as I agreed, and I shall carry you
no farther"
"Oh, WE'LL" said Zalmeier, cheer
fully, "since I've come SO far, I'll have
to look after my land, of course" and
he shouldered his grip and blanket
roll and set Off into the woods.
Secoin lost no time in padding
down stream, and at about four
o'clock crossed the south line of the
pine lends which he was commits
stoned to estimate. He now exercised
a cruisers caution, hiding his boat
and his camp within the depths Of .