Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-02-02
TlMBER lAND PnAVpS.

| A'ts'ipoci opulss 10 MS aQEuAl re
port says:
The ,imber-land act Of June 3
1873, applicable 10 the States O
Cslifornia, Oregon, Nevada, anc
Washington Territory, has opers,ec
simply TO promote the prema,ur,
destruction of forests and the ship
ment Of their products out of th,
country, or for holding lands and th,
lumber needed by citizens at th,
speculative prices demanded b,
foreign and domestic corporations
acquiring . monopoly Of the timber
iards OF the government ct nomiua
rates through easy evasion OF the
terms OF the law.
The fundamental defect Of The
law is the policy upon which IL il
projected-the hasty transfer Of the
title of the United States 70 th.
public forests and woodland; il,
fIailty lies in the practically uucon
trolled method provided for obtain
ing such transfers. Why. as q mere
business proposition, timber landi
worth at the lowest averages from
$40 to $25 per acre for the standing
trees. or, according to accessibility
and the class and quality Of timber
worth from t25 to 800 per acre, and
not in!requsntly several hundred dol
lara per acre, should be sold by the
government at t2 50 per acre, it i.
not easy TO perceive Reports here
with submitted detail the method,
employed under this act for the sue
cessful violation of its nominal re
strictious. and show that the evili
developed in its practical operation
are inherent in system and can be only
cured b. repeal Of the Law by which
they are propagated.
The COMMISSIONER information
appeared to come chiefly from T. Fl
Cavanaugh. Special Agent, who wrote
from Olympia a. follows
The character Of the country lying
west of the Cascade range OF noun.
tsins and north of the COlumbia
river. In Washington Territory. Is
that Of Q vast and almost impenetra
BILE forest OF flr, cedar, spruce and
hemlock upon the mountains. bills
and ridees. with maple, alder, balm,
cotton ood and vine maple In the
valleys bordering upon the many
streams which empty their waters
into Puget Sound.
The frauds attempted iu this dis.
trict are prompted solely by . desire
TO secure the valuable timber lands
for the purpose Of numbering. The
land is very valuable for the timber.
Outside Of the narrow valleys border.
ing the streams II has no value for
purposes Of agriculture.
The manner 10 which lands are
illegally obtained 10 to have persons
who are qualified make such entries
with intent to violate and evade the
laws. There are timber land entries
under the provisions Of the act Of
June 8, 1878. and pre-emptiou aud
homestead entries, payment for tim
Der land applications being made
within the ninety days prescribed by
the regulations OF the General Land
Office, and for the commutation OF
homestead and pre-emption entries
Immediately upon the expirstiou OF
six months from the date Of entry
and filing Of declaratory statement.
The character Of very large
percentage Of the entries, fraudulent
in appearance. is collusive; but the
making aud perfecting of such en-
tries Is so managed that IL is almost
impossible TO secure fulland com.
plete evidence thereof.
Il is my opinion that fully 30 per
cent. OF the entries In this distric,
are coliusivs, and therefore frsadu.
lent, st the time Of their inception.
That portion OF this district lying
north o. township II to and includ-
ing township 20 north and lying east
of range 4 east is conceded to be dis
trict Of coal land. 10 which II ID
rought TO secure lands believed 70 be
Tcosi lands by both corporations.
association Of individuals. and per.
sons, under the act OF June 3, 1878.
and the Homestead AMI pre-emption
laws. Fully 50 per cent, OF the
/ Aforesaid class Of entries In said dis
trict were and are made for the pur
pose and with the intention Of se
curing In that manner coal lands.
IL is almost 4 certainty that more
than one half Of the entries unde,
she act Of June 3, 1873. are ethel
| collusive. evasive, or fraudulent,
yet Il 10 almost impossible for 40
agent to secure evidence conclusive
OF the fact. The claimant or appli
asnt to purchase timber lsads undei
this Law makes IN affidavit lforn
@5y0 at the time of his application
10 purc base the land desired by him
and therein described. Under th,
Law and rule Of the Department hii
proof Il made any time after the ex
pirsiion Of sixty days from date o.
notice and before the expiration oI
ninety days. Upon any day tn thu
interim between sixty aad ninety
DAYS his witnesses appear befors
some officer somewhere and suomi
testimony q provided In form 4S7i
The case 10 nov ready for action o
the local officers. consisting OF th,
sffidavit OF the claimant aod tssti
mony Of two witnesses. The am
dsvit of the claimant, when made
nsy be true In each and every ale
CATION; yet when the proof 10 sub
mittsd and acted upoa BY the loca
otIlcers II may be untrue In ever
material fact. Since Masking the an
dsvit. which is the basis end founda
tionof the entry. and during th'
time intervening before proof. IN
entryman may have contracted q
cell or have already cold his claim q
and interest In the tract % sppifes
lfor. There is no vsy 10 which I,
arrive at any fair conelusioa regard
ing the good faith Of tho appliesn
st The time when he made bis an
davit and application
The mode OF operating. 10 secur,
lands uader the act OF June 5. ISIS
is for . party Interested in securing
timber TO be appointed . notar.
public for Washington Territory
which authorizes him 10 scs 10 AM
county 10 the Territory: He there
upon establishes himself In clos
proximity 10 the lands which 10
4 ..~~ All nansra rRY