The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-07
A New Circular Issued by the
Land Commissioners.
THE NEW TIMBER ORDERS
The Regulations Went Into Eject on
April First and Are OF General
Interest to the People
of Montana.

commissioner of the general land office
relative to the timber on the public
lands. There are some radical changes
in the new orders, and they will be
read with interest by the people OF this
state, which is so vitality concerned in
the matter. The full text of the circu-
lar is as follows:
By virtue OF the power vested in the
secretary Of the interior by the act Of
March 3, 1891. (26 Stat, lO93), the fol-
lowing rules and regulations are here
by prescribed:
4. The act. so far as IL relates to
timber on public lands. as extended by
the act OF Feb. 13. 1893. ca Stat. 444).
applies only TO the states of Colorado.
Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Wyoming. Nevada and Utah,
the territories of Arizona and New
Mexico N the district of Alaska.
The following rules and regulations
do not apply to the district of Alaska.
for which rules and regulations are
prescribed in a separate circular.
2. The intention Of the act is to en-
able settlers upon public m n
other residents within the states and
territories above named who nave not
q sufficient supply of timbe on their
own claims or farms for use thereon
for domestic purposes and who are UNI
able TO procure the needed timber from
private lands. or from public lands I'M
der other authority of law, tn secure
from public lands, for said purposes.
timber to supply their immediate and
pressing wants.
Such being the case. IL was not the
intention of congress TO authorize the
taking OF timber from public lands In
said states and territories to serve as
an article of merchandise and traffic,
whereby profits might be secured. not
only from the labor bestowed i'm and
ling the timber. but by charging for
the timber itself. after obtaining the
same free of cost from the government:
which would practically open a door
for speculation In public timber. result
I'M i'm the holders of permits being in a
position to prevent competition and viz
tually control the market for timber in
their localities.
,. Settlers upon public lands and
other residents of the states and terri
tories above named who have not a
sufficient supply of timber on their own
claims or farm for use thereon for such
domestic purposes as firewood. fencing
or building purposes, or for necessary
use In developing the mineral and other
natural resources Of the lands owned
or occupied by them, may procure tim
Der. free of charge. from unoccupied,
III Ntos Buoli' tallhS
within aid states and territories strict
ly for use on their own claims or lands
therein for the purposes enumerated in
this section (but not for sale or disposal,
nor for use on other lands or by other
persons. nor for export from the state
or territory where ~procured). TO an ex-
tent not exceeding. in stumpage valua-
ton, 500 In any one year.
1t is not necessary to secure permits
sion from the department to take tim
Der from public n ar above allowed.
The exercise of such privilege is, how
ever. subject at all times To supervision
by the department, with "a View to re-
striction or prohibition, IL deemed ne
cessary.
4. In cases in which the parties need
ing the timber are not In "A position to
procure IL from the public lands them
selves. IL is allowable for them to Sc
cure the cutting. removing, saving. or
other manufacture of the timber
through the medium Of others. agreeing
with the parties thus acting as their
agents direct. in taking or otherwise
handling he timber, that they shall be
paid a reasonable amount to cover
their time and b expended and all
legitimate expenses in connection there
with, exclusive Of any charge for the
timber itself.
s. The uses specified i'm section 3 of
these rules and regulations constitute
the only urposes for which timber may
be taken. free of charge, from public
lands In said states and territories. I'M
this act.
o. The cutting and removing of tim
Der, free Of charge. under aid act OF
March J, 1891. Is confined to unreserved.
unoccupied, non-mineral public lands.
in the states and territories named
therein, inasmuch as the act specifically
nrox-fdaS TINT the snn,a shall not nnav
ate to repeal the act of June }. 1873.
GO Stat. $50. which makes provision.
in said states and territories. for the
free cutting of timber on public lands
that are known to be Of a strictly min
eral character.
Z. II is further provided In said act
of March 3. 1891. that nothing herein
shall operate TO enlarge the
rights of any railway company to cut
timber on h public domain" Conse-
quently, no timber may be taken there
under from public lands for use by any
company.
s. In order, however. that sufficient
public timber may be placed upon the
home market in said states and terri
tories, for all legitimate of
Ia such a reasonable extent as
meet existing emergencies in h
matter of demand therefor, sales Of
on the unreserved lands in gen.
eral. mineral and non-mineral. in said
states and territories, may be directed
by the department from time to time.
The sale of timber is optional. and
the secretary may exercise his discre-
ton at all times as 10 the necessity or
of any sale.
,. While sales OF timber may be di-
by this department without pre-
vious request from private individuals.
petitions from responsible persons for
the sale of timbe in particular ocali-
ties VIII be considered. Such petitions
must describe the and upon which the
timber stands by legal subdivisions. IL
surveyed; IL unsurveyed. as definitely
as possible by natural land marks: the
character of the country. whether
rough. steep or mountainous. agricul-
tural or mineral. or valuable chiefly for
Its forest growth; n state whether or
the removal of the timber would
fnjuriously AFFECT the pubic interests.
II any OF the timber is dead, estimate
the quantity in feet. roard measure.
with the value. and state whether killed
by IRE or other cause. OF the live tim