The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1897-11-03
PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS.
Commissioner Aims His Report Mainly
at Big Lumber Companies.

at Big Lumber Companies
Washington, Oct. Pin his an
nual report Commissioner Of the
General Land Office Hermann says:
ssThe privilege of issuing permits to
cut public timber without charge has
been greatly abused In the case Of
the Big Blackfoot Milling company
the application was for the free use
Of government timbeNof AZ sections
Of public forest lands. This was vir-
tually denuding $4,000 acres Of valu-
able timber, and without payment Of
q dollar therefor to the government.
In that case my predecessor reduced
the amount and only allowed the ap.
plication to tile extent OF four sec
tions, or $500 acres. Nearly 800 per-
mits to cut timber have been issued
since the passage Of the permit law,.
with an estimated amount Of Mmber
allowed to be cut hereunder Of 30o,-
100000 feet. The majority of the
permits have been issued to small
saWmll operators for an average
amount of about 500, 900 feet, but
large corporations aud companies
have secured permits at different
times to cut many millions Of feet,
notably the Big Blackfoot Milling
company, the Bitter Root Develop
ment company and the Anaconda
Mining company. all Of Montana
which. have had severaltpcrmits EACH.
<'Since my introduction. into Office
( have not felt Justified in allowing
ANY license or use to exceed. one
quarter section, or l6O acres, .andMnX
further and like quantity upon a
showing as to real necessity, but III
most cases even then license, should
lae denied by law lis we'll as tA he
department.. Few people rcaiIz" sih
vast amount Of timher taken fioin
the public lands annually HNd III
great value. The amount ui tres
pass yearly reported to this office,
added tx the value ct timber taken
unden guise OF law,. free Of char G,
reaches millions OF dollars.
ssSuit WAS recommended against
che Bitter Ruob Development com
panv in 1891 for S3l5, 25o, the Wlue
Of 1,525, 900 feet Of new logs. This
curs2Y}a1lv has been onesof the princl'
pal factors in supplying timber t'
the Anaconda Copper Mining com
pany,, being in fact an adjunct. Fron
D. statement Oh file, made by tht
Al1acund;l Mining company Nov. 30
1881. it appears ttlat the wood ant
lumber cun1sumed by the company d
Butte and Anaconda for the 81:
months previous to the shuttin!
down Of the mine and works wa
$4,000 cords of wood and Is, 500,00
feet of lumber: that the daily con
sumption thereafter was 100 cords o
wood and 10000 feet Of lumhe,
The consumption for 1892 was 20,
oOM cords,oR wood and 100000 fee
Of lumber and it. has probably ncve
Been less since. Reliable infurna
sion shows thaaj tlis company no
only supplies its mines and smcltcr
with timber cut from public lands
but has, also established lumber yard
in different toWns wheSeby they di>
pose OF SO, 600. 900 feet annually, e>
elusive of what they consume ih the
legitimate mining operations whic
equals more than they sell in towns.
The commissioners also refers Yer
briefly to so-called. illustrations
other statesr but it is plain that til
report is ahmed principally at IL
Anaconda Company. sit is the san
in other public land States, . cpntit
ues the commissioner. 'tO a create
or, less, degree. These Illustration
are only to give Il faint idea Of I'll
value Of tlse timber annually lest
the yovernnent. That in one po
tiOn OF Our country, one class OF cit
ze1s should be held to severe penA
ties when they cut a single tree .
the public domain, and in anoth
section vast concerns are allowed
law free access to and the free use
millions Of feet Of valtE, ,ble timbe
seems neither just nor Fight. a
citizens should be treated alike.
s'Fur these reasons Iucsirc to ,lr
the need Of LEGISLATION to either !
peal the acts Of 1891 and 1853 or el
restrict licenses thefenndef."
The commissioner says in concl
sion on this subject; "The questi
as to required measures remains
longer an open one, and it is ardef
ly hoped that the present admin
tration may be signalized by su
earnest efforts as Will meet the &C
ditions aud needs>of Che country.
is the question of a policy not or