FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 83 



these rivers now all plundered and carried off, and for thirty 

 miles in extent upon the Arootook river, every pine tree fit for 

 ton timber has been carried off, and every half mile presents 

 some old timber landing, where the trespassers made a winter's 



work." 



The depredations of these lawless men from New Brunswick 

 and their associates became so frequent and were conducted 

 with such audacity that in the beginning of the winter of 1838-39 

 the matter attracted so much attention that Gov. John Fairfield 

 ordered an armed body of men to proceed to the scene of the 

 trouble and drive out the depredators. John Harvey, the 

 provincial governor, resented what he called an invasion. One 

 act quickly followed another. Militia was hurried to the 

 frontier from the^ Kennebec under the command of Gov. 

 Batchelder. The State militia from Bangor and vicinity was 

 called out, and the expedition was given in command of Gen. 

 Isaac Hodgdon. An encampment was made at Fort Fairfield, 

 and a rifle company stationed at Bridgewater. Rufus Mclntire 

 of Parsonsfield was at that time the Maine land agent. He was 

 taken by force to Frederickton and thrown into jail. Later the 

 Provincial land agent, McLaughlin, was captured and carried 

 'to Bangor, where he was given quarters at the Bangor House. 



Excitement ran high but no blood was spilled. At this time 

 the government at Washington interfered and Gen. Winfield 

 S. Scott was sent to Maine. A truce was called, and the result 

 was that negotiations followed which resulted in the treaty of 

 1842. known as the Washington treaty, by which the boundary 

 line between New Brunswick and Maine was definitely settled. 

 In 1842 the land agent of that year reported that there had been 

 no trespassing that year upon the lands along the St. John river. 

 The stealing of timber did not entirely stop but it was thereafter 

 in the nature of pilferings, rather in wholesale depredations. 



COMPEAINTS AGAINST. MASSACHUSETTS. 



If was plainly understood by the terms of the Act of Separa- 

 tion that Massachusetts should do her part in making improve- 

 ments upon the lands which the Commonwealth and Maine 

 owned in common. For a long time the Massachusetts legisla- 

 tures were liberal in this manner, and there was no cause for 



