299 



A. As soon as I have investigated it, I report it as I find it. 



Q. I want to ask you in reference to a trespass which it is alleged 

 ou committed several years ago before your appointment; what is 

 he fact about it ? 



A. The trespass, as I understand that Mr. Lynch speaks of, was 

 his : I cut some logs on some land there, with the assurance from the 

 Comptroller's office and the State agent that I had a perfect right to 

 mt them. 



Q. Did you have a contract for them from some person ? 



A. Yes, sir; from the person who had owned the land, but it 

 vas reverted to the State, and I wrote onto Captain Sanger to find 

 >ut in regard to the land, and if I could get a title by paying up the 

 >ack taxes; he wrote me I could bid the lands off at the tax sale at 

 he coming fall, and that I had a right to cut logs; I saw the State 

 igent, R. M. Trumbull, Ausable Forks, and he told me to go on and 

 sut the timber, and it was all right; I cut about 1,267 market Jogs; 

 ifterwards when the commission was organized, they made me pay 

 seventy-five cents per log. , 



Q. Was that paid by you directly ? 



A. The logs had gone into D. W. Sherman's hands,. and he paid for 

 ;he logs and charged the amount to me. 



Q. Did you give the warden a statement of that trespass ? 



A. Yes, sir; when he came to see me I gave him the marker's 

 neasurement and the amount, and told him I was ready to pay for 

 ;hem at any time he fixed the price. 



Q. Has there been any complaint made against you in regard to 

 io trespasses since that time to your knowledge? 



A. I haven't heard of any. 



Q. Have you trespassed upon State lands since that time ? 



A. No, sir; not one tree have I touched since that time. 



Q. Are you familiar with the character of the woo ds with reference 

 ,o the soft and hard wood, the comparative quantity in your neigh- 

 aorhood and district ? 



A. Yes, sir; I have followed lumbering a great many years; I am 

 jxperienced. 



Q. What do you say in regard to the percentage of soft woods on 

 ;hose lands, spruce and hemlock, as compared with the hard woods ? 



A. I should say that the spruce and hard wood — you mean the 

 nerchan table timber? 



Q. Yes, sir. 



A. You mean the percentage of merchantable timber, merchantable 

 jpruce and hemlock; I should say the merchantable timber was 

 ibout ten per cent — not higher than that. 



