The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1886-01-09
TNgPORTANT.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, GENERAL

LAND OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. IS, 1885.
To Registers and Receivers, U. s. Land
Office, and Special Agents General Land
Office
GENTLEMEN-The following rules
and regulations are hereby prescribed
by the Secretary of the Interior for the
protection of the timber growing or
being upon public lands covered by
homestead or preemption entries; and
paragraphs 8 to 10, circular Of June /,
1888, and circular of December Is,
1888, are hereby revoked.
l. Homestead or preemption claim
ants who have made bona fde settle.
ments upon public land, and who are
living upon, cultivating, and improving
the same in accordance with b,w and
the rules and regulations Of this, De-
partment, with the intention Of acqnir-
ing title thereto, arc permitted 70 cut
and remove, or cause to be cut and re-
moved, from the portion thereof to be
cleared for cultivation, so much timber
as is actually necessary for that pur-
pose or for buildings, fences, and other
improvements on the land entered.
2. In clearing for cultivation, should
there be a surplus of timber over what
is needed for the purposes above spec
flied, the entryman may sell or dispose
Of such surplus but it is not allowa-
bic to denude the land Of its timber
for the purpose OF sale or speculation
before the title has been conveyed to
him by patent.
3. Where it is ascertained that tim
Der is being cut upon homestead or
preGmtion claim for the purpose Of
sale or disposal, the speeialagent must
promptly and personally investigate
the same, and report in full the facts
in connection Herewith to this office
on the form provided for that pur-
pose; (4-47s). He must also make
separate report on the entry involved,
form 4-4so), in accordance with |
the general instructions to special |
agents appointed to investigate fraud
nlent land entries, (circular Of June
23, 1850, being careful to note on
the bre6ng fold of each report refer
ence to the relative report.
A. A sworn statement from the |
should be taken in every |
case where practicable, and If il is al |
legged in any case that the timber was
cnt to clear the land preparatory to
the agent should particu-
larly examine and report whether the |
was done in the manner usual
in such cases, or, as Is customary,
where timber is cut for removal with
out expectation of oultivating the
land whether valuable timber was
eulled out, leaving the inferior trees
and the underground and stumps un-
disturbed except as incidental to the
removal of the cut timber; whether
the land is really fit for agricultural
purposes; and, if SO, whether it has
been cultivated or prepared for culti-
vatlon after the removal Of the tim
ber, ascertaining and reporting the
nature and extent of any such eultiva
tion, the kind of crops raised, and
their amount and value
5, In every case where an entry in
yolying timber trespass is under in
yestigation by a special agent he must
promptly notify the Register and Re
ceiver of the proper land office of
that fact, and upon receiving such
notification the Register and Receiver
will at once make proper notation
npon their tract books, and will there
after forward all papers which may
be submitted relative to said entry TO
this office, (referring to the special
agents nutification), and will take no
action whatever theFaon which will
change the character or status Of said
entry until the special agent has CON
cluded his investigation and his re-
port has been acted upon by this
office.
6. The abandonment Of q settle
ment claim after the timber has been
is presumpliye evidence that
The claim was made for the primary
of obtaining the timber, and
al facts relative to abandonment
should be carefully ascertained
n Squatters upon public lands
have no right to cut timber there
from for any purpose.
8. Where timber is obtained by
mill owners, lumbeFmen, Or others,
from number Of individual home
stead or preamtion claims, report
should be made combining the several
so far as practicable, into
one case against the instigators OF
Of the whole trespass,
lsng the claimants to the land and |
he cutters and employees as witnesses,
0. The judgment of this Office upon
,he merits Of a case must be based
lpop the report Of q special agent;
md Il is Of paramount Importance
mat such report sets forth fully, con-
,iseIy, ana intelligently all the facts
N the case. Conclusions Of the special
lgeDt, whether IN favor Of or against
ne party must be supported w q
Infiicient recital If facts and eYidence-
Respectfully,
WM, A, y. SPARKS,
Commissioner,
Approved Dec. 10, 1885:
M "a ~ TTE4,s.n EacrafSeu