The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1903-10-31
PUBLIC TIMBER LANDFRAUDS
NORTHWEST STATES At MERCY
OF TIMBER LAND eRAFTERs-
The Graft q Good ons-InvestIgatIon
10 Under Way BY the government
Binser Hermann's Administrator to
Be ExamIned-Fortunes Were Made
Agents Report to Grand Jnry.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to admis-
sions OF ths officials OF the department
Of the interior. investigation OF the
public Land scandal now going on on
the Pacific coast involves the most ire
mcndous Of all the government
-grafts" and causes Ine hot air" az
fair in the p0stofice department to
pale into absolute !nslgnificance. II is
not denied in the department that some
western republicans have already been
found to be suspiciously connected
with these land scandals. and when the
inquiry is finished some railroads and
their connections with the great forest
reserves may receive unpleasant men
ton.
The present land investigation on
the Pacific slope covers the admins
trstion Of Binger Hermann, former
commissioner Oh the general land Of
fee. and now a member Of the house
from Oregon
The states in which reserves are 10
Gated and where investigations are
now going on are California, Washing
ton. Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Ne
braska. Oregon, South Dakota, Wyom-
ing, Utah and the territories OF Ari-
zona, New Mexico and oklahoma
The graft methods consist mainly In
getting advance information through
collision with authorities and securing
forest reserve holdings, which land
is worth $l.25 per acre. When the re-
serve is proclaimed the holder Of re-
serve land is allowed to exchange his
, land. acre for acre. for land outside
which is worth IS an acre.
Reports so far received lead to the
belief that regular organization is at
work making fortunes this way. Po-
litical influence ana congressional pres
sure is brought to Lear 70 have certain
reserves reclaimed.
United States senators whom rumors
connect with the present land frauds
are said to have used such pressure,
while at the same time lending their
political power to the protection Of
land officials who have been accused
OF connection with the scandal
II is officially acknowledged at the
3 interior department for the first time
that an investigation is on foot look
ing TO the punishment Of timber
thieves in Washington. California and
J, Oregon The investigation is practi
, cally completed, and the facts are
{ now in the hands Of Secretary Hitch
cock, who will wait. however, to con
fer with Attorney A. B. Pugh and Sc
: cret Service Agent Burns before plac
2 ing the evidence before the fedora
grand jury. II was acknowledged a
( the department that several UniteS
u States senators and representative
are involved in the scandal, though i
was denied that all were financially
= benefited by the frauds.
The extent OF timber frauds reaches
. into millions of acres. According Il
: admissions by officials of the depart
ment, several kinds of frauds wer
y practiced, involving violations of home
A stead, timber and stone laws, the des
ert land act and laws relative to for
~ est reservations. One common metho
Z. employed by the big timber men o
ei Minnesota was TO hire poor people 3
make homestead entries on rich tin
Der lands in California and Washing
y ton and after a short time commut
o. their entries and pay for them at tn
re rate Of $3.50 per acre. the money bein
= supplied by the timber shark to whor
AZ title was given by his dummy.
" One big timber man boosted som
~ time ago that he had invested $1,000
w 600 In Pacific coast timber lands an
3 that he had secured more timber 70
~ the money than could be secured an!
d where on the earth's surface. Til
man is a member OF q company tbs
~ owns vast properties in the state {
Washington.
az Secretary Hitchcock is proceeding
u this matter with memorable frmnes
ct and there is a state OF panic in the gel
eral land ONCE.