158 



Q. What were the attending circumstances that should make this 

 distinction in price ? 



A. The one dollar and twenty-five was where men went on and cut 

 timber on State lands themselves, and the others were, probably, 

 where they had out on what they thought was their- own lands, and it 

 was afterwards ascertained that it was on State lands. 



Q. Lumbermen over there who had bought logs that were taken 

 from the State lands, for example Mr. Thomson; they had bought 

 them and got them into their possession; were they settled at a 

 cheaper rate than the people who cut logs ? 



A. If the committee will let me I will try and explain that, so you 

 will understand it. 



Chairman Ryan. — Mr. Adams, please ask the question once more. 



Q. The question I asked is, when logs had been sold' to lumbermen 

 dealing over there, for example like Lemon Thomson, were they 

 charged this cheap rate of twenty-five cents, while the men who cut 

 the logs were charged one dollar and twenty-five cents ? 



A. No, sir. 



Q. "Were not some cases settled with Mr. Thomson for twenty-five 

 cents ? , 



A. Not that I remember. 



Q. Will you swear there were none ? 



A. I do not think there were. 



Q. That is only your opinion; I want your knowledge. 



A. My knowledge says no. 



Q. How do you mean to give that ? 



A. To the best of my recollection we settled with no lumbermen "for 

 twenty-five cents; if the committee will allow me I will try and 

 explain this matter. 



Chairman Ryan. — That is a sufficient answer for the question. 



Q. I asked you the other evening why you did not employ experts 

 when you had $25,000 on hand; lands were offered one dollar and 

 fifty cents, or else I asked you why you didn't employ experts to go 

 and examine the lands, to see whether they were proper to be bought; 

 I understood you to answer, you had no funds, something about the 

 appropriation being short; now I want to ask the question, has there 

 been any time since you have had the $25,000 that you have been out 

 of funds ? 



A. No, sir. 



Q. Always had funds in the appropriation so that you might have 

 employed experts if you desired. 



A. I do not so understand it. 



Q. Don't understand what ? 



