Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-10
Rules for Forest Reserve.

Much attention has bsen paid recent
ly, says late Washington dispatch, by
the general land Office to the prepara-
ton Of rules and regulations applicable
to the government Of all the various
forest reserves of the United States, and
Commissioner Hermann has now
formulated these for the approval Of the
secretary of the interior.
Attention is called to the matter Of
forest fires, which annually do so much
damage through carelessness, and the
law is specially referred to which i'm
poses penalty for willfully setting fire
to timber or carelessly suffering fire to
burn unattended near any timber, and
which Furnishes such offense by fine and
imprisonment. The law provides that
before breaking camp fires shall be
totally extingnished. Prospecting, To-
eating and developing the mineral re-
sources Of forest reserves are permitted, $,
Lands for school houses and churches
are provided and the use Of waters for
domestic, mining, milling and irrigation
purposes are also allowed. The con-
struction Of wagon roads is authorized
and the right of way across the reserves
for irrigating bitches, fumes and reser-
voirs is permitted. The pasturing of
live stock on the reserves is permitted
except as TO sheep, which in view of
their injuries to the forest cover are
prohibited in regions where the rainfall
is limited, and the present exception in
this regard is extended only to the
reserves in the states of Oregon and
Washington, because Of the continuous
moisture and abundant rainfall of the
Cascades of the Pacific coast ranges.
Even this permission will be revoked if
pasturing extends TO Bull Run reserve,
to Crater lake, or places where injury
may be done.
Where persons have unprotected bona
fide claims within the reserves they
may relinquish the same, and in lien
thereof receive public lands elsewhere
without charge in cases where fees
previously had been paid.
The mineral lands of the forest re-
serves are subject to location and entry
under the mining laws in the usual
manner. Owners of mining locations
are authorized to fell aud remove from
their mining claims any timber growing
thereon for actual mining purposes upon
their particular claim. The free use Of
timber is allowed to bona fide settlers,
miners, residents and prospectors for
minerals, for frewood, fencing, build
ings, etc. This privilege is restricted to
persons resident within the forest re
serves who have not a sufficient supply
Of timber on their own claims.
SALE OF TIMBER
The sale Of timber from the reserves
will be permitted. in limited quantities,
and this is done for the purpose of
preserving the living and growing tim
Der and permitting the younger growth
of timber on the reserves. Dead, matur-
ed or large growths Of trees found upon
the reserves shall be designated and
appraised so far as the same may not be
necessary for the forest preservation
and water cover and may be sold for not
less than the appraised value, in such
quantity as shall be prescribed to each
purchaser and to be used in the state or
territory in which the reservation may
be. Sixty days notice, published in the
county where the timber is situated, is
to be given before sale. Payments are
to be made to the receiver of the local
land Office of the district wherein the
timber is sold. Before sale the timber
will be examined and appraised under
the direction of the department. In
order to avoid a monopoly, the depart
ment may in sales in excess of $500
make allotments of quantity to the
several bidders, and the right is re-
served to reject any or all bids. Within
thirty days after an award of timber to
a bidder payment must be made in full,
and within one yeai it must be re-
moved. Where it may be found neces-
sary to erect temporary saw mills for
the purpose of manufacturing the tim
Der purchased on the ground permit
will be necessary. All timber SO cut
must be used in the state or territory in
which the reservation is situated.
Supplemental instructions are gwen
to all special agents Of the Interior de-
partment TO especially take cognizance
OF unlawful! cutting of timber and de-
predations upon the public domain, in
cluding the forest reserves. and here.
after yigilant watch will be directed
toward the matter Of forest fires.
The law further provides that, in the
case of lands more applicable for min
ing and agriculture than for forestry
purposes, upon proper showing made
the same may be eliminated entirely
from the forest reserves and restored to
the public domain.
As TO the reserves which have lately
been suspended by the recent act Of
congress, the geological survey is now
busily engaged in examining them and
in extending the exterior lines properly
embracing such reserves. In this man
ner large portions enormously hereto
fore embraced in reserves will be
restored to public entry and other por-
tions which were ommitted from the
reserves will be embraced within them.
The estimated area of the existing
forest reserves is 1895. .2s0 acres. The
estimated area of the suspended forest
reserves is l9,95ls60 acres. The aggre-
gate area Of the existing and suspended
reserves 10 SS,944.9l0. This is greater
than the area of any state east of the
Mississippi river and Of several west
oft.
Bought by the Bishop.
The large building at Cascade mineral