The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-17
SCOTT DEFENDS
LOGGING SCALE
DENIES RECENT INsINUATIONs
OF FRAUD AND CoLLUsIoN.
Sales to and Operations Of the Weyer-
haeusers Pronounced Straightfor-
ward and ssAbove Board''' in Every
Respect-Rights and Holdings of the
Indians Carefully Guarded.

To the Editor Of Tho Journal:
Sir: In the Dec. 81 issue of h 9 GU r
n there appeared under the caption of Fam
lily Circle in Logging Work" an article signed e
been written for the purpose OF charging fraud
and collision against the Weyerhaeusers, aided
and abetted by the Marshall family, father ana
sons, and myself as acting Indian agent for the
Chippewas.
The dates Of sale Of the Chippewa timber
and passage Of the Morris bill, and the geneolog
ical record of the Maj shall family are the only
accurate statements in the article. 1t is abso-
lutely unnecessary for me to appear in defense
OF the Marshall family, father and sons. "a they
are quite capable of taking care of themselves
under any conditions and at all times. Their
records in the public service everyone who knows
them know to be clean. Neither do the Weyer-
haeusers require my assistance in anything, but
would like to point out few of the inaccura-
cies in the article referred to, and II any doubt
exists in the public mind about who Is right, 1t
be removed by simply verifying the records
which are open for investigation to anyone who
cares to see them 'N.' :..
The article says ''the competing lumbermen
openly declare they could not afford to bid as
much the Weyerhaeuser people Tor reservation
timber" How did they buy 1t If they did not no
bid more than the Weyerhaeuser people for it
Anyone who knows anything about the sale
Of the timber knows that this assertion is not
true. In the forestry reserve, on which partlcu-
a great deal of the timber, and what they do
of it has not been logged, nor the 3 per
cent marked. So no very great amount of steal
ing could possibly have been done by Ed Mar
shall up to the present time.
Disclaims Authority.
Quoting again, Mr.. Stuart says "there are
two sets of scalers; one Weyerhaeuser set and
one for the government; that the entire work
is under my supervision, and that George Mar.
shall has charge of the Weyerhaeuser scalers and
Harry Marshall Of the government scalers; that
both records have to be turned into my office
and Harry Marshall must adjust and verify both
on which adjustment the Indians interests wholly
depend"
If Mr.. Stuart knows anything about the condi
tions or timber work on the Chippewa reserVa
lions, he knows that there is not a word of truth
in the whole statement. If he would read the
Morris bill he would learn that my-~duty was
only to verify the government scale, and ap
prove it, and account for the money paid for the
timber. The whole business Of employment OF
scalers to scale timber for the Indians Is done
by the superintendent Of logging, who is In ne
way connected with the Indian department.. anc
who was named by the commissioner of the
general land office, and over whom have not the
least control. The Morris bill requires this
and it is the law.
I have two inspectors Of scalers appointed OF
my recommendation by the land department ant
subject to my orders only. They are the only
scaers over which my office has any control
have never a scale report made by thu
Weyerhaeuser people Or any other contractor fo
| Indian timber. I only handle scale reports mad
work 1 verify with my inspectors Of scalers' re
ports made directly to me and known to n,
one else until placed by me on record In my OF
flee after VerifcatiOn.