The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-03-20
CASCADE RESERVE.
Citizens of Eastern Oregon
Want 1t Thrown Open.
THE PEOPLE PETITION
The Secretary of the Interior
to Rescind the Order.

no ClOSiuS Ol the OaSCaue range
forest reserve to the stock raisers
of Eastern Oregon, preventing them
from ranging their stock within its
boundaries, threatens to virtually
annihilate one of the chief indus
tries of that portion of the Inland
Empire, and those engaged in stock
raising will make a vigorous effort
to have the order of the depart
ment of TIE interior closing the re-
serve rescinded, so as to admit of
stock being ranged thereon. To
accomplish this end they have pre-
pared the following petition, which
is being generally signed, and will
be forwarded to the department:
ITO the Hon. Hoke Smith, Sec
retary of the interior:
I'VE, the undersigned petition
ers respectfully represented. That
We are citizens of the United States
and of the state of Oregon. residing
in that portion of the said state ly-
ing east of and contiguous to the
Cascade mountain range; that the
section mentioned is devoted al
most entirely to stock raising, and
being remote from railroads and
markets, said industry is the only
one to which the country is adapt.
ed or for which it can beused. That
the plains Of Eastern Oregon, or at
least of that portion herein men
toned, are arid, and can not be uti-
lized for pasturage during the sum
mer months. That heretofore, and
ever since the growing cf live stock
in said section was begun, those
engaged in that industry have been
accustomed to pasture their stock
upon the eastern slope Of the Cas-
cade range of mountains during the
summer months, That the indus
try has steadily grown until it has
become of vast proportions, and is
the means of livelihood OF great
number of people. That by reason
of the convenience of the Cascade
mountain pastures, great number
of stockmen have located govern
ment lands, near said mountain
range, and have made valuable
and permanent improvements on
the same, building themselves
comfortable homes and barns and
enclosures for the proper caring for
their stock during winter months
That the establishing of the Gas.
cade range forest reserve has not
odly deprived them of the aforesaid
summer pasturage, but as it rend-
ers their business impossible, yir-
tually confsticates their lands, inn
provements and homes, since they
are valuless without the usual sum-
meT pasturage. That as almost
the entire population of the section
of country named is dependent di-
rectly or indirectly upon the stock
industry, the closing of said Cas-
cade range forest reserve to pastur-
age by stock will result in financial
ruin to almost the entire popula.
tion thereof; and will cause the
abandonment of many homes and
much valuable improvement. That
the people of the Willamette val
ley and those residing on the west
ern slore of said Cascade mountains
are not interested in or affected by
coalitions on the eastern slope there
of.
Wherefore your petitioners re-
spectfully pray that you so modify
the rules and regulations provided
for government and management Of
said reserve as to permit the pas
turing of live stock on all of said
reserve, except that portion lying
north Of the Barlow wagon road
west of the summit of the Cascade
mountain range. And your petit
toner's will ever pray, ETC."