The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-08-29
MR.. CARTER HEARD FROM.

essential features of Land Commissioner
Carriers rules and regulations governing
the cutting of timber upon the public
domain. 1t took exceptions to the regu-
l%ations as being incomplete in essential
particulars, ambiguous in meaning, and
unjust to the people of the state. As
they stand they invite all the criticism
which appeared against them in the
columns of the TRIBUNE. 1t is evident
upon their face that as no limit is given
as to the number of acreso of timber lands
one can acquire or as no time is specified
in which the applicant shall cut and
remove the timber, and as no intimation
is given that more than one person or
company or corporation can occupy and
cut over the same piece of ground, that
one person may apply for and obtain e.
elusive control over hundreds of square
miles of timber lands to the detriment of
the interests of the state, but to his own
personal agrandizement.
That the TRIBUNE is right in its inter
probation of the rules is abundantly evil
denced by the nature of the notices of
applications to cut timber which are be-
ing published in several of the newspa-
pers Of the state. In more than one in
stance applications have been made to
cut and remove timber from an area
nearly equalling that of the state of
Rhode Island, while no time is named in
which the timber cutting shall be COM
plcted. The TRIBUNE. while not criti-
Ching those who took advantage of the
opportunity offered by Mr.. Carter to be-
come possessed of valuable franchises.
did and does object to the regulations
which make such possessory rights pos
slble. The land commissioner should
have expressly stated in his regulations
the maximum number Of acres of timber
lands n may apply for; the maximum
number OF feet of lumber, mining tim
Der and cords of wood one may cut and
remove, and the maximum time in which
such timber and fuel shall be cut and re-
moved. He did not do it and as a result
of the omission the country has wit
messed a most ludicrous scramble for the
best and most available timber lands in
the state. 1t is doubtless this sight
which has been brought to the notice of
Mr.. Carter through the stalwart proper
tions of some of the applications to cut
timber that reminded the gentleman he
had forgotten to incorI crate several very
important provisions in his famous rules
and regulations. He now hastens to sup
ply the missing links by Incorporating in
the permits to be granted the very re-
st%rictions, of the absence of which in his
regulations the Tribune took exceptions.
In answer TO IA letter Of inquiry writ
ten by Mr.. Kiser of the Madisonian. M.
presents the fruit of serious after
He tells Mr.. Kiser, among
other things, that all applications to cut
timber on the public domain shall be
published at least onc a week for three
consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
circulation in the state and also
II a newspaper in the county, or if the
imber lands lie in more than one county
hen in a newspaper in each county in
which the lands may be situated. .Appli-
should be addressed to the secre-
airy of the interior, and may be filed in
he local land Office for transmission to
he interior department. In regard to
he one man ownership of all the timber
Ipon the public domain, of the quantity
hat may be cut by one person, and the
ime given in which it may be cut, Mr..
jarter says:
On the suggestion of the secretary |
ave prepared a form of the permit to be
Ised in pursuance of law, but as the
anne has not been approved by the sec
and cannot be until his return
which will be some weeks yeti, | can
My state to you in a general way that
he permit will not give to the party
-oldlng the same a monopoly over the
lmber in the district described therein.
nut. on the contrary, will contain proyi-
ions limiting the permit as to
ime, size, character and maxi
quantity of the timber
0 be cut. AT the same time a monthly
eport will be required containing a
tatement under oath showing the
mount of each kind OF kinds of timber ,
ut or removed during the month, and
living a particular description of the
or tracts Of land from which the {
Imbcr was cut. The permit will further ,
bligate the party receiving it to utilize
ii of each tree that can proftably be
sed for lumber or fuel: and will like
Use provide that the person holding the
shall destroy, burn, or otherwise
of all tops, brush, tails, slabs. I
iwdust, and other refuse from sawmiils, ,
18th a view to preventing the starting .
nd feeding of forest fires. |
These are the principal features which s
i'll be incorporated in the permit, all of {
hich should have been sent out and I
ublished contemporaneously with the |
of Mr.. Carriers rules and
EQUATIONS. Their knowledge would {
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