The Meeker herald., 1908-10-10


failed to do $500 worth Of work ON the
property.
Mr.. 8. F. Stoughton bought q half
interest in swamill proposition in
1907. on Snake river, Summit county.
The firm employed from 10 to IL men,
and were unable to get the range
rider. Mr.. Bunker, to scale the logs
that were in the yard. when he was
called upon. he claiming that he did
not have time to do 1t. In the mean
time the firm was obliged to close
down the mill for about two weeks
and keep the men working at SON.
thing. In order to keep the crew to.
gether, but at great loss to the Arm.
After about two weeks, during Which
time Bunker has refused to scale the
logs. it was discovered that he had
made several trips to Montexuma In
an entirely private capacity. notifying
some Of the firms customers to whom
they had been furnishing lumber, that
they had better not pay the arm OF
Stoughton & Myers for lumber deliv
cred. for they would have to pay it
again. as the mill and lumber did not
belong to Stoughton & Myers. but to
the Lenawee T. T. M. & N. company.
This action by the ranger tied up
money due the flrm for lumber. ana
made 1t difficult for the firm to meet
Its payroll.
The firm then met the head forester
from Leadville. at Dillon, and laid the
matter before him. He acknowledged
that Bunker had exceeded his author.
ity and stated that he would see that
he apologized and undo what he haa
done at Montezuma. He was told that
this action would not reimburse the
firm for the loss already sustained
through injury to the business. ana
that the mill would certainly not be
started up again under the 1urasdic
ton OF Rider Bunker, and that II nee
essary, the matter would be taken To
Washington to get the proper salts
faction. The head ranger then said
he would transfer Bunker to another
place and send new man. which was
done. Better service was then given,
but at every visit to the mill, which
was every few days, he made every
effort possible to induce the arm to
buy more lumber, and he worked as
faithfully to try and make a sale to
the firm as would any drummer to
sell goods for his firm. which shows
that the rangers are very anxious, at
least. to sell all the timber they pos
sibly can. and they surely must have
had instructions to this effect from
their superiors.
1t looks very much as though the
government was straining every eff
fort. through their rangers. to dispose
of every stick Of timber possible. no
matter to what points 1t In finally
shipped, which seems to the writer n
very queer way to SAVE THE TIM
BIER, and gives the government the
attitude of robbing the state of Colo
RADIO of something that should benefit
the state.
In this connection, how is the sale
Of all this timber gong to benefit any
one. as under the present administra-
ton of the forestry reserve. under
stand that the sale OF timber does no,
begin to pay the expenses of the tor
estry reserve; in other words. our for
ests are being denuded by the govern
ment instead of being preserved, ana
that at loss. and the tax payers are
called upon to make up the defcit.
But 1t is not only the miner who Is
made to suffer by the unlawful ami
arbitrary rules of this department.
but their work also runs against the
pioneer, the homesteader and the cat
tleman.
At the public land convention held
in Denver in 1907 the cattlemen made
an agreement with Mr.. Pinohot that
they should have a test Casa
friendly suit-which should go to the
United States Supreme court. on the
question whether the laws OF Colo
RADIO or Pinchot's rules should deter
mine the question Of trespass OF cat
tie on the unfenced domain. Pinchot
agreed with the cattlemen at that
that time. that until this question was
settled by the Supreme court. no fur
ther arrests should be made. rnd no
other suits be Instituted against the
cattlenen. This suit has not yet been
terminated; yet very lately number