The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1908-07-14

the United States would not be fol-
lowed by their annexation to the for
est reserves. II the sentiment OF the
House committee on public lands -
sure Euid, Of the tu,ur" policy III
the government That committee.
during the last session of congress.
Enthusiastically favored opening the
lands tn commercial and Industrial
uses. II H. said On good authority
tha, had there been aay possibility
Iof the Administrations anncNin. che
lands to the forest reserves. the pnn
lie lands committee would have pre-
srntcd u resolution. declaring thn,
no disposition Of the lands should b"
made without sanction of congrcSn.
hut the president has no power
to create additions to the forcr: 90
serves In oregon. Tn" coinniui''
had this fact investigated by u ID
Townsend. assistant to the At-urn,:
General In the coming suits as " II
the railroads and individuals who
purchased 1909 acres or more frn'a
the railroad In violation OF the
,.r,.,a - ,h., land .grapta
. Mr. Townsend was often heard ~
say that he was confident no ~
tempt would be made tn inciud. Tho
lands In forest reserves. that such
disposition Of the lands would be
contrary to the purpose OF the sui,r
and m. congressional grants and IT."
Interests OF the state.
This matter Is OF high importanc"
I to Western Oregon. since the gov.
ernmcnt will seek. In the suits about
to be- brought by Mr.. Townsend. the
alternative rcliefs of forfeiture of
? the lands to III. government or Of
specific performance Of the original
terms OF the grant. which have been
ignored blythe railroad for 80 years
The suits will be instituted In the |
United States circuit court for the |
District Of Oregon. Mr. Townsend |
prepared the bills Of complaint be- |
fore leaving Washington and IL eS-
pectcd to file them In Portland as
soon rs they can be printed
OF the 1000 900 acres possessed |
by the railroad and the 100000 /
acres held by the big purchasers. full
iy 100000 acres In and south OF
Lane county can be used for farm
Ing. and can support an additional
population Of $4,000. More than
one-fouurth OF the 2.i00. 900 acres is
In Douglas county. and three-fourths
OF It Is In Lane. Douglas. Josephine.
Jackson and klamath.
Some parts OF the land grant area
would probably be put into forest re-
serves, In case of forfeiture. Such
would certainly be the disposition Of
the lands now included within the
boundaries Of forest reserves Small
parcels Of land might also be added
to forest reserves to MI out certain
areas and the same disposition might
he made Of remote lands that are
useful only for timber and that ,
would be held long periods OF time
by spectators TO realize their value.
But probably not more than 2OO.-
900 acres would be disposed OF that
way, such at least being tho tenn
per OF the house committee on pub
lie lands. which threshed out the Y
land grant matter many weeks last
winter and spring. G
Involved with the railroad viii bs o
Ioms nifty companies andpersons who '
bought lands from the railroad In u
Quantities OF 1000 acres or more
his In violation Of the lG0-acre limit '
or purchases. and Of the 81. so Der 4
icre price limit and OF the actual
ettler" clause. These holders pos I,
ess song 100000 acres. the chief I,
mes being az follows; a
Booth-Kelly Lumber Company, In
.ane and Linn counties. 1900 ,
cres. .
J. and q. X. Wentworth. OF Chi 9,