Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-05-07
THE NEW FOREST RESERVE
Includes Greater Portion OF jose
phine and Curry Counties

The Interior Department has decid-
ed to create forest reserve in South
western Oregon, in the Rogue river
country, strong recommendation to
that effect having been made by the
geological survey. The first step in
this direction has just been taken b.
Land Commissioner Richards, who
has ordered the temporary withdrawal
from all entry Of practically the en-
tire Rogue river mountain country in
Curry, Josephine and Coos counties
extending from Bone Mountain, IN
Coos county, southNard to the Cali
fornia line.
The exterior limits Of the with
drawal embrace l,249, 920 acres Of
land, mostly mountainous and heavily
covered with timber, but great por-
tion of the land within the withdraw
al is held in private ownership, much
of it having been originally included
in the railroad grant, and is held now
by the company or its grantees.
Roughly described, the Withdrawal
embraces the entire eastern half OF
Curry county, lying east of the line
between townships ~ and l3 west,
together with townships "a, 93, and
half Of 80 north. Most Of Josephine
county west of the line dividing
townships 7 and west is also in the
Withdrawal, together with eight ad-
ditional townships in the southeastern
corner of the county, while about five
townships in the extreme southern end
of Coos county are included.
As soon as possible the Land Office
will send special agents INTO the with
drawn area to determine what, if
any, of the vacant public land should
be resorted to entry before the reserve
is created. The department has not
yet decided what policy will be fol
lowed with regard to the alternate
sections within the withdrawal which
belong to the railroad company or its
grantees.
Only one thing Is positively settled
There will be no general creation of
lieu base in Southwestern Oregon, as
only minimum amount of land in
private ownership is to be included
within the Rogue river reserve. When
il is finally created under no circum-
stances are the railroad sections to be
included, thereby giving the company
| the right to make numerous lieu
selections IL is probable, however,
that the special agents going to Ore
gon will be instructed to confer with
the railroad authorities to determine,
if possible, upon some equitable plan of
exchange, whereby the company will
give to the government title to all or
part of its holdings within the pro
posed reserve and agree to take in eX-
change therefor Government lands
elsewhere Of approximately the same
| Nhlut uh llt NldNNh ltllilAiNl'h' A'N
exchange proposition will be enter
tanned, however, unless the Govern
ment's rights are safeguarded against
speculative lieu selections
The department is also considering
the advisability of making PROPOSE
tion to purchase the railroad lands
outright, if they can be had at a rea
sonable price, but this, likewise, is
still under advisement. If it is event
ually found that no equitable ex-
change or purchase can be arranged,
the reserve will be created on the
blackboard plan, with all railroad and
private lands excluded.
The reason given for the recommends
tioh Of the Geological Survey for the
creation Of the reserve is that there is a
marked dlminution Of the flow Of the
water in the streams heading in the
proposed reserve. In Southern Oregon,
this statement meets with dprisiOn.