Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-08-26
Our W ood Supply.

Custer, as well as all the towns of tn
Hills, how are we going TO get our win
ter's wood. We have been permitted I,
peruse letter from the acting lane
commissioner at Washington to Hon
X. j. Gamble, in reply to a question
How are the people living in the cite.
and towns of the Hills to procure fue
for the ordinary needs OF life." For the
benefit Of our readers we quote from
said letter such portion as bears upon
the question rs follows:
The Forest Superintendents have
been instructed In regard to cord wood
from down and dead timber, as follows
| Permit its removal free of CT arge, IN.
der rules and regulations governing the
use OF timber on forest reserves by per.
sons who, you are satisfied, take it strict
ly for their individual use on their own
claims or lands occupied By them within
fhe State or Territory where such reser.
ya.ion is located, but not for sale or
disposal or use by others or on other
lands"
I'm the case Of residents in town or
community where fuel cannot be OBJ
tained by purchase at private sale from
those who legitimately obtain wood for
sale, the Forest Superintendent is in.
structed that there is no ruling under
the law to prevent resident Of such a
community from obtaining the wood he
asks for; the same to be cut by him by
any trustworthy. reliable person he may
employ to do the cutting under the sup.
ervision of a proper forestry officer des.
lgnated for that purpose. and from such
locality as the Forest Superintendent
may approve. The person so employ.
ed can however charge only for the
time and labor, but not for the wood"
Residents Of towns and villages with.
IN or near forest reservation, having
railroad facilities and other convenient
access to saw mills, lumber ard wood
yards where lumber and fuel can be pro-
cured by purchase. are not entitled to the
free use Of timber"
I'm order to procure timber fo- pur.
pose Of sale, whether it be dead down
timber, it must he first purchased from
the government at public sale. The
law requires sixty days notice of sale by
newspaper publication. Hence, the
long channel" and which can only be
shortened by legislative action so
amending the law as to dispense with
the requirements of advertising. This
office has fruitlessly urged such legisla
tion. Instructions are about heing
issued to the Forest Superintendents to
within the forest reservations under
their respective jurisdictions, with a
view to offering it at public sale there
by enabling purchase in greater or less
quantities as the applicants to purchase
may desire"
From all af which we are still left in
the dark as to how we are going
it to get load Of wood to keep the pot
boiling, and TO keep the babies warm.
They tell us how 10 procure tract Of
timber for lumber. and they explain
how a man can 90 into the wood busi-
ness on a grand scale, by making appli-
cation in time to allow for 90 days
publication, when at stated time a
government sale will take place, and
then he may have chance to bid on a
thousand or two cords, which it seems
he will be compelled to purchase when
he only wants load. and has to rustic
hard to get money to pay for it. Now
We do not presume that the authorities
at Washington deliberately intend that
the people in the towns shall actually
pass through the coming long winter
without fuel. and yet that seems
to be the way they have planned it.
We are forced to this conclusion or else
that the commissioner has become SO
accustomed to running circumlocutory
Office, and has studied so long the sci
ence of how to talk without saying any
thing, that he has forgot how to state 9
proposition which can be understood by
an American citizen.
Mr.. Hamaker, our forest supervisor
is very much perplexcd and annoyed by
the serious aspect Of the situation, ant
has explained it tn the department in the
following language, which We quote:
"The truth is, the matter begins to lool
serious, and in my own case, at thi
time, can not see where my winter
fuel is to come from. There are IL
close proximity to the towns through
out the Reserve, millions Of cords o
fallen timber. lying on the ground rot
ting and il looks TO me, an order ough
, to be promulgated TO permit these peo
pie to obtain supply. They are read.
and willing to pay to the proper author
tiles the few dollars that will secur
enough Of this timber for their indivi
dual needs. A large majority OF tn
residents Of these towns have not tn
money to pay high price for thei
wood, much less a higher price for Goa
which at this time there is none on tn
market, many Of them, however, hav
, access to horses and wagons and ca
!, procure the fuel supply very cheaply
do not now recall single town G
village where wood is kept for SALE"
Al What effect this will have We are VI
: able to say. but 1t exonerates Mr.. Han
! aker from all blame in the matter. an
those who have been heaping adver'
o criticism upon his devoted head shou|
3 let up little and wait. We think
o is doing the best he can. but ne dare NJ
= = 60 beyond his instructions, or exces
) his authority.
!. In conclusion we would say, tn
. while we believe that every individu
;. and every community should abide
the laws decreed by the governmeI
y still the rulings Of judges, and the cot
, missioners Of departments is not alwa
a good law. There is higher tribun