Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-11-29
EASTERN DISPATCHES.
TIMBER.
Report or Secretary schurs-Recom.
mendations with Reference to
Timber Lands on This Coast.

Report OF Secretary Sehurs-Recom.
meudations with Reference to
Timber Lands on This Coast.
wAsuSoroS. November 29.-Ths an.
uual report Of Secretary schurz contains
the following passage Of special interest
for the Pacific Coast States, Colorado
and the Territories. After stating that
the measures taken BY the Interior De-
partmspt for the protection Of the public
timber have produced good results In the
public sentiment in many localities, he
says: cit must b kept in mind. how.
ever, that the limited means allowed BY
Congress permitted . small field to be
covered BY these operations. The
greatest dagger Of the Wholesale destruo-
ton Of our forests and Of the disastrous
consequences that the destruction will
bring after. exists In these States and
Territories. Where the timber IL india.
pensably required for domestic use and
local industry IL must DO taken from
public lands, there being no timber lands
in private possession and the public
lands being mostly unsurveyed and not
subject to purchase or entry.
In my last annual report I discovered
the insdequscy Of the laws enacted by
last Congress authorizing the citizens Of
Colorado, Nevada and the Territories to
fell and remove timber on the public
domain for mining and domestic pur-
poses, and providing for the sale Of tim.
Der lands 10 the States OF California and
Oregon and In Washington Territory.
Tho opinion I vsntured to express, that
the frst Of these acts would be taken
advantage Of. not only by settlers and
miners to provide economically for their
actual surrender. bot BY persons who
would see In this donation q chance to
make money quickly, that Ii would
stimulate . wasteful consumption be-
yond the actual need. and lead to wan
ton destruction, and that the machinery
left to this department to prevent or re.
press such waste and destruction. through
the enforcement of rules to be made by
the Commissioner Of the General Land
Once, would be found insufficient for
that purpose. has already In many places
been verified by experience ; also the
predictions made by the Commissioner
Of the General Land Office with re-
gard to the effect Of the second one
OF the abovs-named Acts. Referring to
what was said about these laws In my
LAST annual report. I repeat my earliest
Recommendation that they DO repealed.
and that more adequate legislation be
substituted therefor. Il Is BY no means
denied that the people Of the above
named States and Territories must have
timber for their domestic use a well al
the requirements Of their local indus
tries. Neither IL II insisted upon that
the timber % required should be i'm.
ported from Q distance 90 that the for.
ssts in these States and Territories might
remain intact. This would DO unreason
able, bot 1t Is deemed necessary that q
law DO enacted. providing that the PEG.
pie may lawfully acquire the timber re-
| auired for their domestic use and their
local industries from public lands under
such regulations a. will prevent indis'
criminate and irreparabls destruction oil
the forests with it, train Of disastrous
consequences. It 10 thought that this
end will be reached by authorizing the
Government to sell timber from the
public lands principally valuable for the
timber thereon. without conveying the
fee, aud to conduct such sales by Gov.
eminent officers under such instructions
| from this Department % will be calcu.
lated to prevent the dsnudation Of large
tracts, especially in the mountain regions
where the forests once destroyed will moi
reproduce themselves. have no doub,
that under such Q Law, we'll considered
in it, provisions. the people OF these
States and Territories would be enabled
to obtain the timber they need for do.
mestic a. we'll a. industrial purposes o,
reasonable rates, and that at the same
time the cutting Of the timber can DO SO
| regulated a. to afford sufficient proteo.
ton to the existence and reproduction
OF the forests, which IL 20 indispensable
to the future prosperity Of those regions.
I venture to express the opinion that the
enactment Of such Q Law has become q
pressing necessity and cannot much
longer DO delayed without great and ire.
parable injury to o OF the most vital
interests Of the people,"
The Secretary. referring to the enor.
nous devastation OF forests by hre. left
negligsntly burning. or deliberately set
for the purpose Of dsadsning the timber.
recommends the enactment Of some
severe penalty for the williul or negligent
setting Of fires upon the public lands Of
the United States. and also for the re-
covsry OF all damages thereby sustained.