The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-07
IN C0OK And LAKE.
Steps Takensto Form a Forest Re-
serve There.
MR.. HERMANN's EXPLANATION
The Step Taken at the Suggestion
of General Andrews--Omly Pre-
Iiminary as Yet. -

From. The journal RIreoA, ,Roo,,s Is, Post
Buildtng, Washington. :.
Washington, July 7.-Land Commits
sioner Hermann said to-day that the Or
der for the withdrawal from settlement
and entry of large tracts. of lamd in Cook
Lake counties in Minnesota was issued
on the showing made by Fires Warden G.
C. Andrews. General Andrews made the
suggestion that a forest reserve could be
created in these tow counties which are
more or. less thickly wooded and thinly
settled. In this and subsequent COM
municatSons to the department he desig-
mated the. townships in which timber land
was located - ~
Commissioner Hermann started an in
vestigation of the records Of the land
office and it was decided to issue the
order to- the local officers at Duluth to
withdraw these lands from settlement
and entry pending further investigation.
In discussing: the scope and meaning of
his order, Commissioner Hermann said:
There appears to be misapprehen-
sion as to what he\order reserving these
that it is merely a preliminary reserva-
t!on with a view to having the president
issue a proclamation creating forest re-
serve after further investigation
General Andrews represented that the
land in question was: Of such character
as to. warrant the creation of a forest
reserve. Preliminary investigation seemed
to bear out this conclusion and the order
reserving the lands from settlement and
entry was issued.
| The object Of this was to prevent more
people going on the proposed reserve. Un-
der tho law, settlers on reserves may re-
linquish the lands held by them and take
up lieu. lands outside the reserve and
this office did not want to have to deal
with more settlers than necessary, should
it, be deemed advisable. to carry the
proposal through and permanently to re-
serve the lands under the forest reserva-
| tion act. & e..
| The preliminary order having been is
sued, further investigation Of the re-
served area will be made either by the
geological survey or by special agents OF
| this office. Whoever makes: the investl-
CATION will make a; detailed report on the
quantity Of standing timber and whether
any of the land is agricultural or mineral.
| The preliminary showing made by Cen
eral Andrews convinced this Office that 1t
| that the creation of such reservation
would be in the interest Of the preserva-
tion and Improvement of the forest. Fur
| ther Investigation may show the presence
| of minerals or that such proportion Of the
| lands. is agricultural as not to warrant
| the creation of the reserve, and the order
| Just issued. will be revoked or amended
so as to include only densely wooded
|areas:'' ,@, -,
The" records Of this Office contain nc
evidence that any portions of the land
| Iincluded in the" withdrawal are mineral
There are no mineral entries of~record IN
this office. AS, to presence of timber or
it, the records show-that most of the
area contain rather ia thin stand OF
Heavily. ,forested. = But y several large
burns have traversed it and this Is
proba bly, the reason for the thin growth.
| s"The creation of % forest reserve ir
| this section of Minnesota will not In any
way affect nor prevent prospectors OF
discoverersa Of minerals from obtaining
little to mineral lands within the area o1
1.-THE reserve.
| Under the law prospectors may 60 on tn
serve at any time. and, upon the discovery o
| mineral, may obtain title to their discover.
under the mineral laws. 1t has been reported
| that there are considerable bodies of iron or
underlying these lands. Iron ore Is minera
and lands containing 1t are SUBJECT TO entr.
| under the mineral laws
The fact that no mineral entries have beer
maded for the lands within this area does no
preclude their being made. However, all thi
| is in the future and depends upon the crea
Etion of the reserve by the president afte
further investigation.
|. Commissioner Hermann to-day received
| letter from General Andrews, Acknowledge
| the receipt of the advice that the lands nance
| boor, with
! trv and expdessing the belief that the ere
| 4l.ec be. rnn1llar