The Yale expositor., 1904-12-09

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ment survey. Many years before, on
Gals had run careless lines through
the country along the section bound
aries. These latter stated always the
section, the township and the range
east or west by number. All Thorpe
had to do was to find the same figures
on his map. He knew Just where he
was.
! The map he had procured at the
United States land office in Detroit.
He had set out for the purpose of
looking" a suitable bunch OF pine in
the northern peninsula, which at the
time was practically untouched. Ac-
cess to the interior could only be OBJ
tanned on foot or by river. The South
Shore railroad had as yet penetrated
only as far as Seney. Marquette. Me-
nominee and a few smaller places
along the coast were numbering near at
home, but they shipped entirely by
water.
Thorpe. with the farsightedness of
the pioneer, had perceived that the ex-
/ plOitation OF the upper country was an
affair Of few years only. The north
would not prove as accessible as II
now seemed, for the carrying trade
would some day realize that the en-
tire waterway OF the great lakes Of
fered an unrivaled outlet. With that
discovery would begin a rush to the
new country. He resolved TO antici-
pate it and by acquiring his holdings
before general attention should be turn
ed that way to obtain the best.
He was without money and practi-
rally without friends, while govern
ment and state lands cost respectively
$3.50 and $1.25 an acre, cash down.
But he relied on the good sense Of cap
italists TO perceive from the statistics
which his explorations would furnish
the wonderful advantages OF logging
a new country with the chain or great
lakes as shipping outlet at its very
door. In return for his information
he would expect half interest in the
enterprise.
Thorpe was by no means the FIRST 30
see the money in northern pine. Out
side the big mill districts already
named cuttings OF considerable size
were already under way, the logs from
which were usually sold to the mills of
Marquette and Menominee.
But work was on a small scale and
with an eye TO the immediate present
only. 1t was accomplished by purchas-
ing one forty and cutting n dozen.
Thorpc's map showed often near the
forks of an important stream a section
whose coloring indicated private pos
session. Legally the owners had the
right only to the pine included in the
marked sections, but If any one had
taken the trouble to visit the district
he would have found operations going
on for miles up and down stream. The
tolored squares would prove to be moth
ing but so many excuses for being on
the ground. The bulk of the pine was
stolen from unbought state or govern
ment land.
This in the old days was a common
enough trick
Thorpe was perfectly conversant with
this state of affairs. He knew also
that in all probability many of the col
ored districts on his map represented
firms engaged In steals of greater or
less magnitude. He was further aware
that most Of the concerns stole the tim
Der because IT was cheaper TO steal
than to buy, but that they would buy
readily enough if forced to do so in or
der to prevent its acquisition by anoth-
er. In his exploration, therefore, he de-
cided to employ the utmost circumspec-
ton. He would pose as hunter and
fisherman
For a week he journeyed through
magnificent timber, working always
more and more to the north until final
ly he stood on the shores OF Superior
He resolved to follow the shore west
to the mouth of a fairly large river
called the DISADVANTAGES. 1t showed
in common with most streams of its
size, land already taken, but Thorpe
hoped to find good timber near the
mouth After several days hard walk
Ing with this object in view he found
himself directly north of a bend in the
river. so he turned through the woods
due south, with the intention of strlk-
iiig in on the stream. This he succeed
ed in accomplishing some twenty miles
inland. where also he discovered a well
defined and recently used trail leading
up the river. Thorpe camped one night
at the bend and then set out to follow
the trail.
1t led him for upward of ten miles