Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-01-14

cOlOrcu squares WOuIU prove 10 De nOtn
ing but 20 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 q 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 1t was cheaper to steal
than to buy, but that they would buy
readily enough II forced to do so in Or
der to prevent its acquisition by anoth-
or. In his exploration, therefore, he de-
cided to employ the utmost circumspec-
ton. He would pose as hunter and
fisherman.
For week he journcyed through
magnificent timber. working always
more and more to the north, until final
ly he stood on the shores of Superior.
lie resolved to follow the shore west
to the mouth Of fairly large river
called the Ossawinamakee. 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 bend in the
river. SO he turned through the woods
due south. with the intention Of strik-
Ing In on the stream. This he succeed
ed in accomplishing some twenty miles
inland. where also he discovered n we'll
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
nearly due south, sometimes approach
ing. sometimes leaving. the river, but
Keeping always in its direction. The
country In general was rolling. Low
parallel ridges of gentle declivity Gid
ed constantly across his way, their
valleys sloping to the river. Thorpe
had never seen a grander forest Of
pine than that which clothed them.
At the ten mile point he came upon
dam. 1t Was q crude dam, built Of
logs. whose face consisted Of strong
buttresscs slanted up stream and whose
sheer was made Of Embarked timbers
laid smoothly side by side at the re-
Qulred angle. At present Its gate was
open.
The purpose Of the dam In this new
country did not puzzle him in the
least, but its presence bewildered him.
Such constructions are often thrown
across logging streams Mt proper in
tcrvn!S in order that the operator may
be Independent of the spring freshets.
The device IL common enough. but It
is expensive. People do not build
dams except in the certainty Of some
years of logging, and quite extensive
logging Mt that. If the stream happens
10 be naviCablc the promoter must first
get an improvement charter from
board of control appointed by the
state. So Thorpe knew that he had
to deal not with hand to mouth lum-
Der thief, but with great company
preparing to Jog the country on big
scale
He continued his journey. AT noon
he came 20 another and similar struc-
turc. Here he left his pack and pushed
ahead in light marching order. About
eight miles above the first dam and
eighteen from the bend of the river
he ran into a "slashing' Of the year
before. The decapitated stumps were
already DeSl,.uing to turn brown with
weather; the tan2le OF tops and limbs
WAS partially concealed by poplar
growths and wild raspberry vines.
TO Thorpe this particular clearing be-
came at once of the greatest interest
He scrambled over and through the
ugly debris which for n year or two
after logging operations cumbrrs the
ground. by rather prolonged search
he found what he souglt-tAc section
corners of tie tract. on which the GOV
ernlnent surveyor had long ago marked
the Prescriptions" 4 glance at the
map confirmed his suspicious. The
sinshing lay s1mc two miles north OF
the sections Gcs' gnntcd as belonging TO
private par:ice. Ii was government
land.
Thorpe ant down, lit pipe and did n
little thinking.
He had that very morning passed
through beautiful timber lying much
nearer the mouth Of the river than
either this or the sections farther south
Why had these men deliberately ascend.
cd the stream; Why had they stolen
timber eighteen miles from the bend
when they could equally well have stol-
en- just MS good fourteen miles nearer
the terminus Of their drive?
Thorpe suddenly remembered the
two dams and lis idea that the men in
charge of the river must be wealthy
and must intend operating on large
scale. He thought he gllmpsod it. Aft
er another pipe he felt sure
The unknown, were indeed going in
on large scale. They intended even.
tually to log the whole of the Ossa-
wnamakcc basin. For this rea son they
had made their first purchase planted
their FIRST foothold, near the hcadwa-
ters. Some day they would buy all the
standing government pine in the basin
but In the meantime they would steal
all they could at sufficient distance
from the lake to minimize the danger
of discovery. Every stick cut meant
so much less to purchase later Oh.
| Thorpe knew that men occupied In
I 10 precarious business would DO keen