CHlfiF FIRE WARDEN. 31 



a price far below its value. The government at Wash- 

 ington is directly responsible, and our people should hold 

 their senators and representatives in congress accountable 

 and responsible that nothing of the kind occurs again, for 

 they are the officers elected to conduct the affairs of Min- 

 nesota with the executive departments at Washington and 

 with congress. 



THE ISLAND PARK. 



The same day I visited for the first time the principal 

 island in Cass Lake. It has an extent of two or three 

 miles and contains within it a pretty lake, half a mile wide 

 and about a mile in length. The surface of the island is 

 gently undulating and richly and beautifully timbered, 

 principally with Norway and white pine. The stand of 

 Norway pine is pretty close, with but very little under- 

 brush, and there are many acres thickly covered with a 

 handsome growth of young pine; in some places almost 

 wholly with Norway, in other places with white pine. 

 The large growth of white pine is generally mixed with 

 large-leaved timber. There is probably no more beauti- 

 ful piece of woodland in Minnesota than is found on this 

 island. As a natural island park it is a treasure to the 

 state. But I would be no more surprised to hear of its 

 being devastated under the ' 'dead-and-down timber " sys- 

 tem than I was to see the atrocious vandalism that has 

 been committed on the south shore of Cass Lake. 



The pine on the various reservations is so valuable that 

 the interior department should employ watchmen to pro- 

 tect it from the danger that menaces it. Especially such 

 a splendid body of pine as lies along the south shore of 

 of Cass Lake, and near the railroad, and so uncommonly 

 eligible for a permanent health resort, should be watched. 



It may be asked, cannot the state fire warden protect 

 this timber? It is not considered as being yet within 

 the state's jurisdiction. Nevertheless, a year ago last 



