Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-12-17
SAYS TIMBER
CRUISE ROTTEN

siderable talk concerning the advlsa-
bility of having Boundary county
cruised and about IS months ago
Bonner county was on the verge of
letting a cruising contract to the
Nease cruisers. 1t is probably well
for Boundary and Bonner counties
that action was deferred if the Clear
water Republicans statements in a
recent issue are correct.
The article in question is as fol-
lows:
Timber Cruise Looks Like Graft"
The above heading appeared in the
Clearwater Republican in its issue
of February 81, 1914. At the time
the Nease cruise was being imposed
on the people Of Clearwater county
the Clearwater Republican, among
other things, raised two objections:
First: That the cruise, if of any
value, would necessitate the heavy
annual expense of a re-cruise, or
re-checking, every year.
Second: That the Nease cruise
might be but another crooked scheme
to skin the people; that the people
had no way Of knowing whether the
proposed cruise was good or bad,
correct or incorrect; that it would be
an easy matter, if Nease were crook
ed, for him to do this county i'm
mense damage by over-estimating
one owner and Understanding an
other body Of timber. And if any
were so disposed; timber owners,
immensely interested in having a
low estimate Of their holdings came
across, what might happen were it
made an object for Nease to favor
those willing to make it an object
for Nease to find considerably less;
yes, millions less, timber than an
honest cruise would show? The Re-
publican warned the people that they
had no protection; that their inter
ests were in jeopardy; that the pro-
posed cruise would be of doubtful
value. We warned the people that
the Timber Cruise Looks Like Rank
Graft"
Information coming to the Repub-
ican recently justifes all former sus-
picions.
The Nease cruise is rotten and
worthless as a basis for the assess
ment of timber. One need 20 nc
farther than 1873. Here it is sale
that the Nease cruise shows but 8
small fraction of the actual timber
possibly only 20 per cent of the ac
tual value in some instances.
The records show that Meas,
turned in cruises on government land
not subject to taxation, but which tn,
former county board, Messrs. Franz
Zelenl1a, Elmer Torgerson and Franz
Harrison, accepted and paid for a
the rate Of 1914 cents an acre.
These things are enough to war
rant suspicion. Add to this the fact
if we are to believe the statements o.
reliable parties, that the Meas,
cruisers went only once through {
forty, and sometimes turned in a,
much as IA forties per day, an i'm
possible area for any cruiser. w,
would then ask the people what they
think of the Nease cruise as {
basis for taxation purposes?
In view of these things, the peo
pie should do one of two things:
First: Abandon the Nease cruis,
altogether, and go back to the ole
system for assessment purposes, or
Second: Retain the Nease cruise
but re-cruise the 100000 acres, OF
enough of it to assure accuracy.
Enough is known to justify the
county authorities in refusing to use
this cruise as a basis for assessing
the county in 1916. This cruise is
the most colossal outrage ever per-
petrated on people in any county
In the state of Idaho since time
began. 1t offered the most fertile
field for graft of any deal Clear
water county has had to face. The
people may draw their own con-
illusions as to what might have hap
pened, if Nease overlooked as much
as so per cent of white pine and
other timber in some localities. What
object would it be for Nease cruis-
ers to report only hundred thousand
of white pine per forty Il there is
really more than four times that
amount?
Another question: Why was that
suit, started by the timber compan-
les, against the Nease cruise so sud-
denly dropped?
The Republican makes no charges
of graft. 1t is referring to few
facts and leaving the people to draw
their own conclusions"
Students Spend Holidays Here
Miss Ruth Biggar, Miss Alta Plato
Nice I o,.o+fo T,~x,ol