The Washington times., 1903-09-06
GOVERNMENT TO REVIVE
SUIT AGAINST DAILY


himself was taking an interest in the
prosecution.
The story of the timber depredations
committed by the Amalgamated Copper
Company as told in the bill OF complaint
of the Government is highly interesting.
II goes back to 1880. when Marcus Daily.
In pursuance of a plan to strip timber
of the Government domain in western
Montana. organized what was known as
the Bitter Root Development Company
John r. Toole William Toole. and
James w. Hamilton were incorporators,
and the capital was fixed at $500. 900.
The little town Of Hamilton, in Bitter
Root valley, was named as the headquar-
ters of the company. Daily. in reality.
was the heart and soul of the corpora
tion, and the others seem to have had
but nominal interest in it. so far as
holdings OF stock were concerned
The field chosen for their operations
was extremely rich. 1t included q vast
tract OF land, from one to six miles
wide, and from fifty to seventy five
miles in length, along the Bitter Root
River. On this land, there were great
forests of pine, fir and hardwood, suit
able for lumber for mining. commercial
and other purposes, and valued at from
81 ,0O0.0O0 upward. All this valuable
timber was on the Government domain.
Without delay, on the organization of
the corporation in 1890, the work for
which IL was designed was begun. Daily.
it is alleged, carried the work on
through the men associated with him In
the Bitter Root Development Company
who included the incorporators already
named. and also William w. Dixon.
/ Moses Kirkpatrick. William Scallon,
| Daniel J. Hennessey and other men
| prominent in Montana affairs at that
time. These men were allowed share
/ in the profits of the extensive opera
J tions which were carried on from the
| start.
Large Tract Swept Clean.
| The Government officials allege that
\ the large tract along the Bittor Root
which has been mentioned, was swept
| Of the good timber. At first several
portable sawmills were used. but later.
about 1892. large lumber and sawmiil
was erected at the town of Hamilton
on the Bitter Root River, conveniently
located near the timber region. The
work of cutting, hauling, transporting to
/ the river, and driving the timber to the
mill was carried on with great industry
! for several years. and large profits are
/ said TO have been realized.
Various plans were adopted in order 10
/ thr . 10 al off h.a
| scent. and to prevent the shedding of
! light on the depredations. II is charged
that several times in the course of the
years the spOliation OF timber went on.
] Daily and those with him obtained. from
/ the agents of the Government licenses
/ TO cut trees on certain small parts OF
! the great tract along the Bitter Roof.
/ Under cover of such permits. DAILY and
his associates cut and carried away the
/ timber growing on the land included in
such licenses. and having done this, en-
tered without license on the timbered
regions adjacent to the small tracts
I from which they had licenses to cut tie
/ timber.
/ Profits Were Fabulous.
1t will probably never be known how
heavy were the profits realized out ol
1 these transactions. While the Govern
ment in its most recent suit against the
| Amalgamated Copper interests is suing
for two millions. the facts are the books
| and accounts are in the hands of the
| parties who are now the assigns of the
Daily interests.
Another plan which it is charged DAILY
and his co-partners resorted to was TO
/ engage the services of a large n6fnbe
OF men 10 whom they represented they
| had authority from the Government 70
cut the growing timber in tracts OF Land
not included in any license. They made
contracts with these men, by the terms
! OF which Daily and his associates were tC
pay a certain amount for logs delivered
| at the river bank by the parties SC
| employed These individuals in large
! numbers engaged in the work Of cutting
down trees and hauling them to the
| river and transporting them TO the saw
mill of the company at Hamilton.
With the large force Of men so en-