The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1886-06-09
aAUsER TO LAMAR.
Our Governor Gives the Secretary q few
Pointers in Regard to Sparks Latest
and Most M1schievous Order.
TERRITORY OF MONTANA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
-M Helena, May 26, 1886.

aGIGuds MID y AOs IoSOs
HIM, Z. @. @. Lamar, Secretary of the In
terror, Washington, D. G.
Sir: I would respectfully request your
PERSONAL attention to the accompanying
letter in reference to Commissioner Sparks
recent circular. The signers are individ-
nal owners of small mills in this vicinity
.--the respective location of each am fa-
miar with-and their statement 'sthat the
land from which the timber is cut is min
eral in character" is true, as evidenced by
the fact that every stream in this region
contains placer gold; most of them are be-
ine worked, or have been worked out.
Also in the fact that there are more or less
uld and silver quartz leads staked On ev-
eu square mile. Yet, as they truly state,
,rigid enforcement of the circular, would
mnpel them and nine-tenths of the
all the small mills in the terri
tory to shut down." As it would be very
expensive, if not impossible to prove that
each particular acre of land from which
timber is being cut was more valuable for
mineral at the time than for timber, though
perfectly evident that the district (say OF
ten or twenty miles squarel was thou
sand times more valuable for mineral than
for timber, or for any other purpose.
This is the fact as to two-thirds of this
territory. You can prove, or it is self
evident that any district as whole is
manv times more valuable for mineral
than for any other purpose. Nevertheless
it might be impossible to prove than some
particular acre or even square mile was
more valuable for mineral than other pur-
poses: Yetit would be entirely possible
and even probable that that particular
acre or square mile was the most valuable
ormineral owing to the hidden or "blind"
leads or lodes therein contained and un-
discovered and undeveloped. Bear in
\ mind that daily discoveries Of new lodes
| and new mining districts demonstrate this
/ fact.
There being no way to get title to TIM
M bqhnds or timber-the timber being alb
sGuely necessary to the working or de-
Rbping of the mines and settlement Of
the territory; congress passed the law, as
take it to overcome the difficulty, and to
give the settler the right to to cut the
timber for building, agricultural, mining
and other. domestic purposes" to be regu-
lated BY your department. The object
certainly was to encourage the develop
ment of the mines and the settlement of
the territory. 1t seems to me so long as
the timber is not exported and it cannot
be used for any othe: purposes than those
named, che manner or mode Of procuring
it cannot be of material Importance;
whetherit is done by the individual in
person, through an agent, or by third
party-the fact remains the same the TIM
Der is not exported and 1t is used for the
purposes named and required.
AS each individual, miner or ranchman
or their agents, do not own, and are not
able to own saw mill, and If those who
were able attempted to procure and saw
their own lumber it would cost them one
Hundred per cent. more. Therefore, to
Eprevent individual men who understand
the business from cutting and saving the
timber to sell to those who use for the pur-
Hpose specified, will seriously retard gen
Eeral improvement and progress in this
territory, and cripple mining-the prlncl-
Ennl 5,,tn ~, of mil
Dollars and throw thousands of laborers
Rut Of employment.
Therefore, would respectfully suggest
Rmd request the modification Of rule No.,
kO as to allow the timber to be felled
md sawed in any county or district where
mining is an important interest and mines
Known to exist-and in the event the TIM
per in these counties and districts not Pc
Hng sufficient either as to quantity or quail
#y-that the cutting and saving OF TIMBER
Re allowed in the contiguous counties and
\ EBtricts for the uses Of the counties anu
\ districts first mentioned. And that rule
y Rourth be so modified that individuals
sWning mills be allowed to fell and saw
4 Hmber in counties and districts known to
mineral, and sell the same direct to
liners and ranchmen or any one who uses
. Tor domestic or mining purposes, which
Rrtainly be in harmony with the spirit
Ald intent of the law. As there is large
nantity of timber in this territory which
i Extensively used for mining purposes
Pown as Lodge Pole pine that rarely. ex
feds eight inches in diameter, and the
eater portion will average less than sis
zines when full grown, I would reques
Rat rule No. be modified to read sis
aches instead of eight. have the honor
Nd pc Yours most respectfully,
5. IL. HAUsER, Governor.
E -----~a=HB~4s-a@ -a@Mps-s. Anz#-~-------
Death of an Old Timer.