The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-30
Januarf 8, 1902.
Hon. J. 3. Underwood, Secretary Pro /
TEN, Of the Chandler Commercial Club /
-s.o-,77o- - rr.

Hon. J. B. Underwood, Secretary Pro
Ten, Of the Chandler Commercial Club,
Chandler. 0. r.:
Dear Sir: IN behalf of Governor Fergu-
son. chairman of the board for easing
school lands, permit me TO acknowledge
receipt Of your communication Of the
25th inst. enclosing preamble resolutions
adopted by the Commercial Club Of
Chandler.
fear that your club. and TO some ex-
tent, the people Of Lincoln county, are
Iaboring under a missDprehensiOn IS TO
the desire Of tho board Tor leasing school
land n the matter Of timber cutting.
IN the first place. permit me 10 inform
YOU that for some Time numerous COM
plants have been received by the dif-
ferent members Of the board and by the
secretary from all parts Of the terri
Tory and from many Of our best citizens
stating that the timber was being cut
indiscriminately and in many Instances
the best timber being cleared from the
land, and that this was being sold as
cord wood. as posts, and 10 saw-mills.
and walnut and cedar logs were being
sold and shipped. and in many cases the
land thus denuded was not being put un-
der cultivation. You can readily see that
this complaint could only apply in part to
Lincoln county.
II therefore become imperative for the
board as being charged with the care Of
these lands under the trust imposed by
congress and its responsibility 10 the
future state Of Oklahoma 10 see that
these lands should not be denuded of
timber and to control any clearing thar
was being done
] hand you herewith a copy Of lease
which is the form under which all lesses
an hrl VOL vii
one Of the stipuations in this contract
IS: '.The said party OF the second part
covenants with the said party of the
first Part, that he viii not cut or remove.
or permit TO be cut or removed, any TIM
Der from said land"
1t is quite apparent. therefore that it
required no new rule of tho board to
prohibit timber cutting, IS this contract
and agreement exists with every lesse in
the territory. It was the question ct the
proper enforcement of this agreement
however, which has caused the board to
cali the special attention Of the lessees Of
school land thereto.
No careful landlord would omit such a
contract. in leasing timbered land. The
board finding from the complaints that
II wOLtd be necessary 10 enforce this con-
tract. Immediately took steps TO enter
into a further contract upon agreement
breach of contract when upon exam ina
tion it should be found that the clearing
OF the land was necessary and would be
Of advantage to the territory and TO the
lessee; but the board still reserves the
privilege, as it rightly should, Of say
Ing what land should he cleared. ard in
case privilege was granted Of clearing
up certain lands to insist that this land
should be broken out and put under Cul-
uYauon before any further permit should
be given, and of requiring payment for
valuable timber taken in the clearing
and putting under cultivation Of these
certain lands. This precaUtion was taken
almost entirely Tor the benefit OF the
lessees in Lincoln county; and in order
that they should he disturbed as little as
possible. the board mas sent its special
agents into Lincoln county 10 investigate
and report upon requests at as cary "a
date as possible three agents peins now
at work visiting farm after farm and
reporting thereon. and in most instances
an agreement Is reached with the lessee
OF course, there are some instances i'm
which an agreement cannot be reached
between these special agents and the les
cees. but I am pleased TO say that dis
-reements ara few
'holh am satisfied that as soon as the les
{ 10 Il in Lincoln county become accuStom-
onstran this metho0 of procedure. ana ac-
sport Of ii with The intention of tho board
,oso of r viii he more satisfactory To them