Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-01-25
An Important Matter.

SentUtiC6S:
SIR:-Having held my position as
Surveyor General OF Washington Ter
ritory for two years and half, and
more, it has naturally followed that
the practical operation Of the laws Of
the United States in respect to the
public lands and the regulations and
instructions OF the General Land Of
flee which are Authorized, or supposed
to be authorized by these laws, have
constantly come under my observa-
ton, and that their policy and wisdom,
as applicable to the public domain in
Washington Territory and to the in
terests and welfare OF its citizens, have
forced themselves upon my considera-
ton. 1t is in respect to these laws
and to the rulings and regulations
aforesaid, that I respectfully ask to
submit some observations, which l
have persuaded myself are worthy Of
your consideration, and which, at the
risk of having my motives miscon
strued, l feel it my duty to make.
Your committee is, OF course, famil-
lar with the acts of Congress relative
to public lands, which have heretofore
been passed and which now stand on
the statute books, but it is entirely
possible that you have not considered
their provisions, nor the construction
put upon them by, nor the consequent
policy which has been inaugurated in
the General Land Office, in the sense
that said provisions and said construc-
tons and policy particularly bear
upon the public interests in this Ter
ritory.
What is called the Puget Sound
country, which embraces all the lands
in Washington Territory west of the
Cascade Mountains, is one vast forest,
the area OF which has been estimated
to be equal to the State of Indiana.
The act of June 3, 1878, entitled, Gan
act for the sale of timber lands in the
States of California, Oregon, Nevada
and in Washington Territory" (see U.
s. Statutes at Large 45th Congress
1S77-1S79. Vol. 90, page S9) provides
that surveyed public lands, valuable
chiefly for timber, but unit.for cult
walton, may be sold to citizens of the
United States in quantities not ex-
ceeding one hundred and sixty acres
to any one person, or association OF
persons, at $3.50 per acre.
The act approved Oct. 1888, making
an appropriation for the survey of the
public lands for the current fiscal
year provides that "the surveys shall
be confined to lands adapted to agri-
culture and to lines of reservations"
and the General Land Office holds,
and has So instructed me, that lands
which are more valuable for the tim
Der thereon than for agricultural pur-
poses, come clearly within the inhibi-
ton OF the act and that such legisla-
tive action tacitly approves existing
surveying regulations, which prohibit
1.-The survey of forests and heavily
timbered lands"
Much the greater part Of the Puget
Sound lands are unsurveyed. In great
measure they are lands of the char
acter contemplated by the act of June
8, 1878, and in my judgment they
ought to be surveyed, and the timber
offered for sale by the government
; An act for that purpose should bt
passed by Congress at its present SEES
sion. believe that such an act woult
} be conducive to the public interest
would be of vast benefit to Washing
ton Territory, and unqualified salts
faction to its citizens. AS matters
, now stand two character Of wrong ar,
constantly being done, to proven
which such legislation is the only rem
edy. In the first place the valuable
timber is being cut down and removed
by persons who do not scruple to tres
pass upon the public domain, an,
) whose acts are practically unre
atrained and understandable. In tn,
second place squatters or settlers g
, upon these lands, and in the effort t,
} clear small tracts for cultivation, Sc
: FIRE to and destroy immense quantitie,
Of the timber. And upon this destruc
} ton and waste there can be, under ex
, listing law no adequate restraint.
: In both instances, the Government
, receives no benefit and sustains loss
: in property, of immense value. A Law
providing for the survey of these land
!. and a sale of the timber on them, il
r such quantities and at such mini
mum valuation as might be though
l best, would be great improvement
8 on existing legislation.
r Time has demonstrated that tn
l Government cannot preserve or pro
: tect this timber, and, if it could, tn
REQUESTS force and provision for s.
doing would cost more perhaps, thai
the timber is worth.
Surely it seems to me, it must b
entirely possible to inaugurate polio
which will do more credit to Congress
ional wisdom, and more justice to tn
public interests.
. The question is narrowed down t,
this: Is h better to have the timbe
: destroyed er stolen and to 20 on max
ing efforts to prevent it and spendin
money fruitlessly in SO doing, or is
; better to put the timber up at publ
sale and receive, in some measure, il
t value 1t would seem that such
+ Lquestion might be answered withou
hesitation. The settlement and pros
perity of the Territory would be great
: : advanced by such a change in the Law
The extension of the public survey
so that all of these Puget Sound land
: would he surveyed without further d.
$ lay would alone be OF great benefi
For the sale of timber would in tim,
: result in clearing land and fitting POI
!. tons OF it for cultivation.
~ But as l have said, the settlers o
these lands endeavor to clear off tn
d timber with fire, and the waste an
il destruction that results are immens
and the stealing is almost withor
, limit and cannot be prevented. A sal
!, of the timber by the Government &c,
cept what is necessary to reserve ft
Naval purposes) would prepare til
y lands for settlement sooner, the timbt
q would become an article of persons
}. ownership and merchandise, the LAND
would be rapidly cleared and put
u cultivation wherever the soil justifie
e it, and Western Washington would, 8
y all early day, become thickly popul'
ted country.
j. respectfully submit the foregoin
g as the expression Of disinteIested an
e carefully considered judgment wher
in have aimed to regard the best il