The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-05-29
His Report Made to
Hitchcock was 0p-
posed to il
And the Carbon Copy Made
in 1901 Shows he Stood
S0lidly with the
Settlers

II since the DCmOcfGLc press mas ue-
clared that Mr.. Hermann, as commits
sioner, favored setting aside the
Rogue river forest reserve, as now
proposed by Hitchcock, It might be
well for us to give a few excerpts
from Hermanns reply TO Hitchcock
when this reserve question came up in
1901.
On December 1901, Hitchcock
sent a communication to Hermann,
asking for information about the
country to be set aside in the pro.
posed reserve, and also his views In
the matter. On January H. 1902, Her
mann replied, and his office has that
reply In full. from which we can only
give extracts for want of space. After
stating to Mr. Hitchcock that II is re-
qulred OF tho commissioner 10 furnish
for the use OF the department OF the
interior all available information on
the subject, as well as the views OF
the commissioner on the question, Mr. |
Hermann proceeds TO describe the |
character OF the lands proposed TO be |
set aside In the reserve. shows how
extensive are the settlements. the
mining and agricultural lands, show
ing that within the area proposed TO
Offices. 40 OF which arc I'm Jackson. 21
In Josephine and about the same mum.
ber I'm Douglas county, this region con.
tanning a considerable population of
the state, and was among the first ex-
plored on the Pacific coast by Ameri-
cans, and Is quite generally settled
He also recltes II was
here the rich gold find and splendid {,
a nVla uN Nnaa NaI q l.
tlement. and where the Indian war
ragged, until the white man finally 4
gained peaceful possession.
Then Mn Hermann says. with en-. 2
phasis Respecting the adylsablllty I
u carrying out such plan of OK /
change as suggested by the director I
lf the United States geological sur. I
gey. | have 10 say that Il Is believed I
20 be lmpracticable. because II would
be unjust 10 public interests"
After recitlng that valuable miner.
al lands not yet prospoctod would
pass To- the rCilroed company" and
that such exchange would greatly
retard development of the mining In. |,
ierosts now so generally enjoyed"
Hermann says: For these reasons
and beliefs based Rpon general infor- !
nation and upon personal knowledge :
n much OF that country have TO re- 2
port that II would be decidedly mad
'asablc 10 attempt to execute the plan
Then Mr. Hermann winds up his re-
port as follows. which we give. sigma. !
.uro and all. He says. after stating 6
N one terso sentence. There is no E
'all for another big reserve.
Lastly | would suggest that II Il .
pc determined that reservation shall =
De created In some portion OF South.
Eastern Oregon. that IL be confined TO
he extreme summit OF the Coast
'ange, and at the heads OF the water |
courses and then only upon an ex- =
,hange OF lands OF approximately the
same value. An examination OF re-
ports made by special agents OF this
)iilce as to only small portion OF
he large area now recommended 10
be reserved by the geological survey
me that a greater area than
that which may be embraced along .
the mountain SUBMITS should not be
In any reservation In South.
western Oregon. | would earnestly
represent that to place In reserve
more than one-half of Curry county.
one OF the oldest counties OF Oregon,
and nearly one.half OF Josephine coun.
~, another one OF the oldest counties
In the state, would result In very
great Inconvenience and injury TO the
Inhabitants who have formed settle
ments within the same. TO the various
industrial operations now in progress
there, as well as a very great injustice
and burden upon the remaining citi-
zens, property holders and taxpayers
In the other portions OF the county
since the present and fu.
ture effect OF such withdrawal will
greatly impair the ability OF the peo-
pie OF Curry county more especilly
To provide sufficient revenues In the
OF the county organiza.
tlOn, and will generally retard and
prevent settlement and discourage
mining operations within the prior
boundaries. Very respectfully.
"BINGER HERMANN.
Commissioner"