The Placer herald., 1866-07-28
Cutting Timber on Public Lands.

Recently much interest has been mauifes.
ted, 10 reference to the timber interests in
California, and several suits have been pros
ecuted. By reference to the report OF the
Commissioner of the General Land Office,
printed by authority, for the year 1864, we
find the following in reference to this impor-
tant subject:
! under authority Of law and judicial de,
csions this office has put in operation re-
presslve measures against the spoliation of
the timber on the public lands. These mea.
sures have extended to Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Dakota, Kansas, California, Ore
gon, Washington, and Nevada. Wherever
the tresspass has actually taken place, but
found not TO be wiful but through igno'
rance, it has not been the policy Of the
department TO pursue the offenders 10 vim,
dctive spirit, but, where the lumber has
been taken from offered land, simply to re-
quire the actual entry of the premises and
payment of costs. In The case of unoffered
or unsurveyed lands, we have enforced the
payment OF liberal stumpage. Where
timber is scarce, as in the case Of Nevada
Territory, we have issued stringent orders
10 the district land officers, and TO the fol.
lowing effect: The Importance Of supply
OF timber where timber is SO scarce would
seem to invoke protection in order to pre-.
serve it and prevent waste; but as the tim
Der is chiefly to be found in the mountain
slopes, on land not adapted to agriculture, it
becomes question as TO what extent re-
strlcton upon its enjoyment shall be impos-
ed on settlers in the Territory. In the case
Of pre- emptors and homestead settlers, on
lands fit for tiIlage. they are restricted to
timber growing on the land for purposes of
building, fencing, repairs, and fre>wood.- -
Neither pre,emptor nor homestead set,lev
can cut timber for sale until the former has
made entry, and the latter resided five con
secutive years on the land. Where land
settled and pre.empted is destitute of timber,
in that case the party must, er necesSitate,
be permitted to take the timber from the
mountain slopes, but solely for domestic use,
otherwise Nevada plains would he unsettled
Should parties file for mountainous land,
not tit for cultivation, in order TO cut and
sell the timber, the register and receiver are
directed to cause it to be seized and sold,
for by SO doing they would to some extent
protect mill owners from the exaclons of
specua.ors.
Persons who have invested in saw.milIs,
and are reaping large profits from The ne
cessities of the settlers, must pay reasonai
BILE tariff per one thousand feet Of timber
sawed; as slumpage, say, not less than oue'
sixth the value per one thousand feet Of the
manufactured lumber at the mill. This
would be moderate, in view Of the great de-
maud for timber in the Territory, and but
consistent with honest principles that COM
pensatory return should be made for the
timber
In order to effect such an arrangement the
land officers are authorized to consult the
United States district attorney as to The best
mode of securing revenue from the timber,
payable quarterly on each and every thou,
sand feet sawed at the respective mills, of
used as cordwood, hewn timber, or other de.
scription of timber, on sworn statement or
the number of feet taken. Should the mill
owners, cordwood, hewn timber, or other lin
ber holders refuse to enter into such stipula
tion, the register and receiver must prompt,
ly seize any timber cut upon the public
lands.
The policy pursued has been quite efficient
in mitigating the evil, and that, too, not on
ly without any cost to the government, but
leaving the avas of seizure in the treasury
of over ten thousand dollars.
The Pacific RAILROAD. - The Central
Company running to Dutch Flat, Cal.
is surveying two routes towards the upper
Humboldt. Mr.. Buck, with corps of on.
gineers and assistants. is now claiming and
leveling the direct route through from C,ys,
tai Peak by the 1ruckee and Humboldt Val
leys to Gravely Ford. There he is TO be
met by Eper, who is surveying another
route to come in at that point We met
Mr.. Buck at Etua few days ago. lie ap.
pears TO be an excellent fellow, and is said
to be an accomplished engineer. His party
consists of - men, who have mule team
and riding horses.
The party reports this An excellent route
FOR the work in hand. The surveyors are
able to take long sights through the unen-
numbered country lying along the river, and
thus make twice the ordinary rate of speed.
Buck says this route can be graded and
made ready for ties at Il cost of $4,000 per
mile-as low as any route ever found by
railroad company. The reports Of these sur,
veys will be made up, when the field work
is done, and The figures compared; and we
will not know for some time yet what route
will be chosen.
The following distances were obtained
from Bucks notes:
Truckee to Desert Wells miles.
Desert Wells to Says 0 miles.
Says to Sprague's 20 miles,
Sprague's to Clark's store 2Sl miles.
Clark's store to Etna II miles
Total disfance Trnckea 10 Etna 753