The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-17
WILL ASSIST THE
MINING INDUSTRY
Forestry Department Wants to
Work Hand in Hand With
Miners.
LETTER is RECEIVED
FROM MR.. PINCH0T
American Mining Congress Is
After Troubles Of Mining
Men Everywhere.

The Utah Branch Of the American
Mining Congress has received, through
the hands Of 4. @. Brownlee, chairman
Of the forest reserve committee of the
congress, the following letter addressed
by Mr.. Clifford Pinchot, of the United
States forest service, TO President j.
Congress, relative to complaints with
regard to mining claims on The national
forests. This is subject Of considera-
BILE interest TO prospector5 an3 nine
operators and it is the desire of tho com
mittee that al parts of the country be
heard from in this connection, as it is
believed that the question Will he fully
discussed at the coming SESSION OF the
American mining congress 20 be he'd at
Pittsburg in December:
United States Department OF Agrlcul-
ture. Forest Service, Washington, Oct 10.
1908.
Hon, ], II. Richards. President American
Mining Congress. Boise, Ida:
Ny Dear Judge Richards-A variety of
complaints have reached me In the last
two months with regard to mining claims
on national forests.
AS fast as 1t was possible to DO. the
forest service has been investigating the
Individual causes OF atisfacuon, but
tho volume OF complaint has not vet been
arrested. While investigation discloses eX-
ceedlnSly few specific cases In which in
justice OF any kind has been done, II is.
nevertheless, evident that large number
OF mining men are persuaded that there
Is injustice in fact. and that undue hard
ships have been imposed upon men en-
gagged IN prospecting and developing
mines. More than 20 per cent of these
claims examined during the past year
were reported favorably and We have en-
deavored TO carry out the law and our
orders, intellIgently and fairly. But doubt
mining men Will help, The forest service
is anxious for justlhable complaint 1t
desires the cooperation and friendship of
the mining men. not their opposition. and
IL Is anxious 10 assist In every legitimate
way In the development OF the mining
industry.
Accordingly. write to ask whether the
American Mining congress- through you as
its president, or by the action of its ex-
ecutive committee, will appoint in the i'm
mediate future a committee Of three or
bHst Me representatives fd i, as you may deem
Ice In an effort to reach mutual agree
ment, both as TO the rules which shall
govern the forest service. under the law
dealing with mineral quesuons on national
forests, and as to the definition and inter-
pretation of these rules, so that there
shall be no misunderstanding whatever as
to what is just and right for both parties
(Slgned) CLIFFORD PINCHoT,
Forester,
In compliance with the request con-
tanned IN the letter quoted. President
Richards, through the executive uom.
mlttee of the American mining congress,
appointed committee which is known
as the forest reserve committee, com
posed Of Of A. G, Br9wnlees Hon. 4. \. Col
burn, w. +. r. Mills, William P. Daniels
and George J. Bancroft of Denver, Colo.
1hl5 committee has met several times
IN connection with the work in band. 1t
IS now engaged in the compilation of tho
mining laws and studvine the rcpuja-
tons and instructions of the United
States department Of agriculture, fo- the
use OF the Dational forests
a. this time the committee recognizes
the necessity of securing full and com
pietc statements Of facts in specific
cases where the regulations or Tho spirit
OF their enforcement by the forest serv
ice. are alleged TO have worked undue
h9rdshlps or injustice upon men ep-
gagged III discovering, developing or OPP
Grating mines. To this end, ii invites
the presentation in writing, of all such
statements Of facts wherein it may nc
shown that the regulations, rulings or
instructions of the forest service have
IN any way interfered with the prose
cutlon of legitimate prospecting min.
ing or the reduction CT ore.
Specific eases involving the use OF
timber, the mincralized character of toe
CLAIMS located, rights Of way over ma.
tiopal forests tor all mining purposes,
together with the use or storage OF war.
ers tor power purposes or domestic use
in connection with the mining opera.
tions of isolated claims, groups of claims
or affecting the economic problem of
improved service throughout mining dis
trlcts or territories, will be considered
by the committee, upon presentation
of facts IN the premises. All such state
ments should be addressed to the for.
est reserve committee, American mining
congress, 1910 Court Place. Denver,
Colo. They will be regarded as strictly
confidential by the committee. if so
desired by the persons sending them.
The committee expects 10 attend The
eleventh annual session OF the American
mining congress TO be held at Pittsbu.p,
Pa, December =. 3, and ), 1908. at
which place Mr.. Pinchot has promised TO
send some of the most liberal aud best
qualified men of the forest service TO
confer with it, in order that better
understanding between the mining in,
terests and the forest service may be
had. and an improved service result