The record-union., 1897-07-02
VARIOUS FOREST RESERVES.
REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO
THEIR GOVERNMENT.
The General Land Ofhce Paying
Much Attention to Their
Preparation.

WASHINGTON, July Much atten-
ton has been paid recently by the Gen
eral Land Office TO the preparation OF
rules and regulations applicable 10 the
government of all the various forest
reserves of the United States, and Com
missioner Hermann has now formulated
these for the approval of the Sacre-
tary Of the Interior.
Attention is called to the matter Of
forest fires. which do so much dam
age through carelessness, and the law
is specially referred to which imposes
penalty for willfully setting fire TO
timber or carelessly suffering fire to
burn unattended near timber, ana
which Furnishes such offense By fine
or Imprisonment The law provides
that before breaking camp, fires snail
be totally extinguished
Prospecting, locating and developing
the mines or other resources of forest
reserves are permitted. Lands for
schOolhouses and churches are pro-
vided and the waters for medicine,
mining, milling and irrigation purposes
are also allowed.
The construction of wagon roads IS
authorized, and the right of way across
the reserves for irTigating canals,
bitches, fumes and reservoirs is per
mitted. The pasturing of livestock on
the reserves is permitted, except as
to sheep, which, in view of their in
juries to the forest, are prohibited III
regions where the rainfall is limited.
and the present exception in this re-
gard is extended only to the reserves
in the States of Oregon and Washing
ton, because of the continuous moisture
and abundant rainfall on the Cascades
of the Pacific Coast.
The mineral lands of the forest RE-
serves are subject to i1cation aud en-
try under the mining laws in the usual
manner Owners of mining locations
are authorized to fell and remove from
their mining claims any timber grow
ing thereon for actual mining purposes
upon their particular claim. The free
use Of timber is allowed to bona fide
settlers, miners, residents and pros
pectors for minerals, for firewood, fenc-
ing, buildings .etc. This privilege is re-
stricted to persons resident within the
forest reserves which have not 4 suifi-
cient supply Of timber on their own
claims.
The sale of timber from the reserves
will be permitted in limited quantities
for the purpose of preserving the living
and growing timber and permitting the
younger growth Of timber on the re-
serves Dead, matured 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 Terri
tory 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 the sale. the
timber Will be examined and appraised
under the direction of the department.
In order to avoid a monopoly the de-
partment may, in sales in excess OF
5000, make allotments of quantity to
the several bidders, and the right is
reserved to reject any or all bids With
in thirty days after an award cf tim
Der to bidder payment must be made
in full, and within one year It must
be removed. Where it may be found
necessary to erect temporary sawrniils
for use of timber purchased on the
grounds a permit will be necessary. All
timber must be used in the State or
Territory in which the reservation is
situated
Supplemental instructions are given
to all special agents of the interior
Department to especially take cosni-
zance of unlawful cutting of timber and
depredations upon the public domain.
including the forest reserves, and here
after vigilant watch will be directed
toward the matter of forest fires.
The law further provides that in the
disposition of lands more applicable for
mining and agriculture than for for
estry purposes, upon d proper showing
made, the same be eliminated entirely
from the forest reserve and restored
to the public domain
The estimated area Of the existing
forest reserves is 1898 $50 acres The
estimated area of the suspended forest
reserves is 1852, $50 acres. The ag-
sregate area of the existing and sus-
pended reserves is 3S,9 $40 This is
greater than than the area of any State
east of the Mississippi River and of
| several of