Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1903-10-31

n. a, 49,. 'kaNon
Is Under Way by the eovernm...
slnser Hermann's Admlnistr.tlo,
sc E<amined-Fortunes Were Ma.
Agents Report to Grand Jnr,
Misunderstanding to adm.
sions of the officials of the denor..
OF the interior, investigation 81 i
public land scandal now going a.
the Pacific coast involves the mos "
mendous OF all the goyernmae.
gratis and causes the "hot an,
lalr IN the postotllce departmep.
pale into absolute insignihcanco :.
not denied in the department tbot
western republicans have ALREADY ha-
found to be suspiciously connao.s.
with these land scandals, and whor tsl
inquiry is finished some railroad,
their connections with the great foras.
reserves may receive unpleasant msn
ton.
Inc present land investigation :.
the Pacific slope covers the admins~
tration OF Binger Hermann. forma.
commissioner Oh the general land j.
flee, and now a member of the bons.
from Oregon.
The states in which reserves are Il
Gated and where investigations ara
now going on are California, Wasbins.
ton, Colorado, Idaho, Montana Nc
braska, Oregon, South Dakota. Wvom-
ing, Utah and the territories Of Al
iona, New Mexico and oklahoma
The graft methods consist mainly IN
getting advance information througb
collision with authorities and securinp
forest reserve holdings, which land
is worth slips per acre. When the "a
serve is proclaimed the holder of "a
serve land is allowed to exchange his
land, acre for acre, for land outside
which is worth SIS an acre.
Reports so far received lead to the
belief that regular organization is At
work making fortunes this way. Pc.
litical influence ana congressional pres
sure is brought to lear 10 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.
1t is officially acknowledged at the
interior department for the first time
that an investigation is on foot loot
ing to the punishment of timber
thieves in Washington, California and
Oregon. The investigation is practt
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.
ing the evidence before the federal
grand jury. 1t was acknowledged at
the department that several United
States senators and Representatives
are involved in the scandal, though It
was denied that all were financially
benefited by the frauds.
The extent Of timber frauds reaches
into millions of acres. According TO
admissions by officials of the depart
ment, several kinds of frauds were
practiced, involving violations of home
stead, timber and stone laws, the deS-
ert land act and laws relative to Tor.
est reservations. One common method
employed. by the big timber men OF
Minnesota was to hire poor people 70
make homestead entries on rich TIM
Der lands in California and Washing.
ton and after a short time commute
their entries and pay for them at the
rate of $3.50 per acre, the money being
supplied by the timber shark to whom
title was given by his dummy,
One big timber man boosted some
time ago that he had invested S6OVV'
900 in Pacific coast timber lands anu
that he had secured more timber fof
the money than could be secured any
where on the earth's surface. inns
man is q member of a company ina.
owns vast properties in the state u
Washington.
Secretary Hitchcock is proceeding IN
this matter with memorable frmness'
and there is state of panic in the ger
eral land Office.