The Great Timber Heist: Federal Law Cracks Down on Puget Sound Loggers

The Law to Protect Timber on Government Lands.

The law is drawing considerable attention in this Territory and other parts of the country at present; but the statute having been practically obsolete in all sections except the live-oak and cedar districts of the Southern States, where ship-timber reserves were situated, it has seldom been published outside of the "Statutes at Large," and the general public have not been posted as to its stringent provisions.

The law is the Act of March 2d, 1853. Section 2 of which reads as follows:

If any person or persons shall cut, or cause to be cut, or aid, assist or be employed in cutting, or shall wantonly destroy, or cause or procure to be wantonly destroyed, or aid, assist or be employed in wantonly destroying any live-oak or red-cedar tree or trees, or other timber standing, growing or being on any lands of the United States, which in pursuance of any law passed or hereafter to be passed, shall have been reserved or purchased for use of the United States; or if any person or persons shall remove or cause to be removed, or aid, or assist or be employed in removing from any such lands which shall have been reserved or purchased as aforesaid, any live-oak or red-cedar tree or trees, or any other timber, unless duly authorized so to do by an order in writing of a competent officer, and for the use of the Navy of the United States; or if any person or persons shall cut, or cause to procure to be cut, or aid or assist, or be employed in removing any live-oak, or red-cedar trees, or other timber from any other lands of the United States, acquired or to be hereafter acquired, with intent to export, dispose of, use or employ the same in any manner whatever, other than for that use of the Navy of the United States; every such person or persons so offending, on conviction thereof before any court having competent Jurisdiction, shall for every such offence pay a fine of not less than triple the value of the tree or trees or timber so cut destroyed or removed, and shall be imprisoned not exceeding twelve months.

Shippers have also something to remember, by 2d clause of the section, which provides that—

"If any shipmaster, owner or consignee shall receive, ship, export or transport such timber without authority from a competent United States officer, the ship may be seized, and with her tackle and apparel and furniture, be forfeited to the Government, and the captain or master of such vessel shall forfeit a sum to the United States not exceeding $1000."