The Colorado statesman., 1908-02-08

LAND CLAIMS
GOVERNMENT ROBBED OF MIL
LIONS OF ACRES BY FALSE
ENTRIES.
so FORESTERS ASSERT
INTERESTING DISCUSSION AT FOR.
EST SUPERVISORS MEETING
IN LEADVILLE.

Leadville, Colo.-Railroads were
criticised for carelessness in firing To-
comotives while passing through for
est land a different system of filing
on mining claims was recommended
for approval on account of entries
made for the purpose of securing the
timber only, and the national home
stead law was scored for the false en-
tries made under it's provision, at
Tuesdays session of the government
forest supervisors of the Second dis
trict. Chief Inspector Smith Riley Of
Denver presided.
H. H. Franch of Glenwood Springs
spoke on the sale of timber and the
manner of conducting the sales that
had been made on his forest. He also
recommended that the rule requiring
brush to be piled and burned be abol-
ished.
Daniel z. Fiddon of Las Animas
made the sensational statement that
at least seventy-five per cent of the
entries on his forest reserve under the
present homestead law have been
fraudulent and for the sole purpose of
securing valuable timber lands. He
stated that at the time the forest was
created about $500 worth of young tim
Der was being cut illegally every day.
Much valuable coal land, he said, was
also taken up in his forest under the
timber and stone act, and he urges
change in the homestead law since it
does not apply to the Western coun-
try as it did for the Mississippi valley,
for which it was framed. The cultiva-
tion required is not sufficient to make
a farm of the land. The cash COM
mutation clause of the law he claims
is especially prolific. Mr.. Fiddon's
statements were supplemented by an
address from Inspector Pollock OF
Washington, who stated that Mr.. Fid-
don had underestimated the amount of
fraud with inspection of the land cases.
He said that not thousands but mil
lions of acres had been fraudulently
taken up and titles given by the gov
ernment.
A. l.. Stroud of the Leadville re-
serve presented the discussion on the
relation of mining sales to timber
sales in this region. He stated that
out of 200 claims passed upon in the
last six months, less that five per cent
are being actually worked by mining
men, and estimates that less than ten
per cent will ever be worked. He EN-
phasized the fact that a discovery
must be made to hold a claim under
the mining law and if there has been
no such discovery the timber will be
sold although no claim has existed.
In the discussion in connection with
rights Of way granted to railroads it
was stated that the railroads of Colo
RADIO have caused enormous losses of
timber by their careiessness in regard
to forest fires in spite of the fact that
the law requires them to clear their
right Of way and take every precau-
ton.
During the afternoon session Mr..
Pollock of Washington stated that the
service in the future would use ex-
pert miners and geologists in the ex-
animation of mining claims.
w. E. Herring of Washington, who
has charge of the improvement work
in the forests, spoke on the construc-
tion of telephone lines in cooperation
with settlers.
The attendance at the meeting Tues
day numbered about forty supervisors
from over the entire Second district,
comprising the states of Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wy
oming and Utah. Eight government
officials are here from Washington and
Denvsr. Others are expected to arrive
during the week.