The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-11

at nominal cost when clothed with au-
thority of the law.
I earnestly recommend that the state
engineers suggestions as to needed leg
slatiOn on the subject of irrigation be
given careful attention at this session.
No subject that viii be brought before
you is of greater Importance. No vital
interest of the state has gone so long
uncared Cor by the lawmakers. The
time has come for Utah, already dis
tinguished as the pioneer user of water
for irrigation in this country. to de-
wise law on the subject that viii be
commensurate with her reputation. The
state engineer viii hold himself in read
mess for conferences with your commit
tees, and his knowledge and experience
will be found invaluable to them.
A law that would lessen the evils
and vexatiOns of litigation over water
rights in this state and that would de-
fine the titles without infringing vested
rights and provide for the just distribu-
ton of the waters would certainly be q
6enefaction to the people. Let US unite
10 frame such law.
Forest Preservation
Serious problems are presented with
the lapse of time and the increasing
spotation of our timber areas as to
the source of water supply fer our val
leys in the future. The intimate rela-
ton between extensive forests in the
mountain canyons and plateaus and
bOunteOuS supply of water for irriga-
ton in the valley below. is so univer-
sally recognized and understood as to
require no new confirmation. Yet our
native forests have never received the
attention and care their Importance de-
mands. True, the state board of land
commissioners lis authorized to set
apart and reserve from sale such tracts
of timber lands and the timber thereon
as may in the opinion of the board, be
required TO preserve the forests of the
state. prevent a diminution of the flow
of rivers and aid in the irrigation of
arid lands" (revised statutes, sec. $500,
but as such provision can only apply
to state lands, and as 1t would be i'm
prudent to exhaust the state land
grants for purposes Of forest reserves,
this authorization proves Intellectual as
a measure for the preservation of tim
Der. Under existing conditions, there
fore, the only source to which the citi
zenS Of the state may look for prOtec-
ton to the timber growing upon the
public domain is the general govern
menr. In answer TO a strong public
sentiment in favor of a. forest reserve
in the Uintah mountains about the head
waters of the four largest rivers of the
state, the Bear. the Weber. the Provo
ard the Duchesne. President Cleveland.
on Feb. -, 1897, set apart an area Of
tue public lands in that vicinity COM
Prising in extent something over a mil
Ion acres, as 4 government forest re-
serve 1 understand that this tract Of
laCd is now withdrawn from public en-
try. and is under the immediate super
vision of the department of the interior,
subject to all the rules and regulations
of forest reserves through a special
agent, who has his headquarters at
COalville. The Second state legislature
also adopted a memorial to congress.
asking a grant of certain lands in the
vicinity of Fisk lake, in Sewer and
Wayne counties, for state park pur-
poses, but from information derived
from Hon. William II. King Utahs
representative to congress, l learn that
the secretary of the interior and the
commissioner of the general land office
are averse TO the granting of the men,
Crial, preferring that a national fOres-
try reserve be created there instead. On
this point Mr.. King, in a letter to me-
dated July !. $685. says: while the
secretary and the commissioner mani
fest the liveliest interest in the request
of the legislature, and are deSiriOus Of
doing whatever they possibly can TO ac-
cede to our wishes. they fear that If
the general government grants so large
an area to the state as is contemplated
in the memorial, it may not only en-
barrass the interior department in the
future, but also injuriOusly affect the
government. l think that, perhaps, in
the course of the next session the bill
now pending might be gotten through
congress. 1t would encounter. however.
many difficulties and excite prolonged
opposition. 1t would also be encum-
bered with restrictions which would
hamper to a great extent the free use
of and the undisputed exercise OF do
minion over the property by the state.
In view of the fact that considerable
expense would be entailed upon the
state in meeting the requirements
which would be placed in the bill, if 1t
should be enacted into law. and in view
of the further fact that the state can
have the beneficial use of the property
free from any expense whatever under
the forestry reserve system, | am in
clined TO think that the wisest course
to pursue now is to have a forestry
reserve established.
This I announced to the officiSls
above referred to and also insisted
upon the following reservations, which
were agreed to:
'.First-That any portion of the terri
tory embraced within the reservation
when established. could be Withdrawn
whenever desired by the people OF
Utah and restored to the public do
main. Second-That if we desired at
any time TO renew the request for an
absolute grant, the action of the de-
partment in establishing the forestry
reserve should not in any manner
prejudice our request. Third-That the
persons selected to care for the reser-
walton should, as far as possible. be
selected in Utah, and that every pOSsi-
BILE means should be employed by the
government to make the reservation
suitable as a place for the people to
visit and sojourn in during the sum-
Tner season
In view ef these suggestions. which
appear to commend themselves L re-
commend that the legislature mem
orialiZe congress anew. asking that the
lands in reference be set aside as a
forest reserve. In this connection I
also wish to call your attention to the
very excellent laws of the state of
Colorado in respect to forest preserva-
ton. There the state fish and game
warden is also constituted commissions
er of forestry and the deputy wardens
are deputy forestry commissioners.
Also they are required to cooperate
with the officers of the United States
in the enforcement of the laws of the
United States relating 10 forest preser-
walton; and as a reciprocal courtesy,
the commissioner of the general land
Office has recently issued instructions
to all the special agents and forest
officers in the state of Colorado to