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Show May 25, June 13, and July 5,1893, the proposal made by, Mr. Stearns to purchase the timber of the Bad River Indians would be prepared for submission to the President. In reply, October 27,1893, the Department directed this office-- To have prepared, for the action of the Department and for anbmiasionto thePrea-ident for his authorization of the sale of timber on the allotted andunallottedlanda of the Bad River Reservation, the proposalof Mr. Stemus, together with such regu-lations governing the oattiug of said timber and the payment therefor as will best protect the interests and the welfare of the Indiana, and prevent the cntting of any green timber on the unallocted lands. Your letter should also show that the dead and down and burned timber sought to be cut hss not B e ~ nk illed, burned, girdled, or otherwiao injured for the purpose of seonring its sale. . On receipt of these instrnctions Lieut. Mercer was telegraphed to report whether the timber proposed to be cut on the Bad River Reser-vation had been killed, girdled, or otherwise injured for the pnrposeof seouring itY sale by the Indians, or others interested, and he replied by telegraph, November 7,1893, as follows: Nofooundationwhatever for idea of intentional fires on La Pointe. Timber all over northern Wisconsin bnrned at same time; railroads, camping and hunting parties, ' and extension of outside fires the osose. No injury to timberforsale except by fire and wind. If any timber girdled by ax it has been done by schyms ( 8 ) in last few . days. Know of none, but suspeot. Will investigate. Later, November 10,1894, Lieut. Mercer telegraphed again as fol-lows : Have mads reexamination Ls Poiuto timber. No trees injured except by fire snd wind. No int,entional irdury to timber. This oa.31 be depended on. Indiana have loat chance for outside work, expeoting work on reservation. Early adtion strongly recommended. / November 18,1893, the office submitted a statement relative to Mr. Stearns' proposition, and a draft of rales and regulations to govern the sale of timber in accordance therewith, and recommended that the President be requested to authorize the sale of timber on the allotted and unallotted lands of the reservation by approving said rules'and regulations, which mere substantially the same as those under which + the Lac dn Flambeau logging was being done. The President granted the required authority, and Mr. Stearns filed his bond for $50,000, which was approved by the Department January 12, 1894, and Acting Agent Nercer was directed Jar~uary 18,1894, to permit him to begin operations, and to see that the rules and regula-tions were strictly complied with by all parties concerned in the cutt,ing and manufacture of timberon the Bad River Reservation. He was also notified that the office regarded it important that the Indians should be assisted and advised in the matter of their contracts by some one familiar with the value of timber and with timber operations, and he was therefore directed to thoroughly supervise the making of the con-tracts himself, or to designate one of his employ6s who was familiar with logging operations and the value of timber, to assist the Indians |
