Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-01-01
rule TO BLOCK
Theft OF LAND
NEW REGULATIONS AS TO EN-
TRIES UNDER TIMBER AND
STONE ACT. -
PRICE MUST Be FIXED
OLD FLAT CHARGE PER ACRE
WILL NO LONGER
HOLD.

Denver.-Sweeping changes in the
administration of the timber and stone
act, under which millions of acres of
the nations richest forest lands have
been stolen by corporation and individ-
ual, were announced today by c. D.
Ford, register of the Denver land Of
flee, says the Times Of Saturday.
Not In recent years has SO complete
a revolution in the land regulations
been put in effect. In the future the
man who files on land known as timber
and stone, acreage, before he can prove
up must await the action Of board Of
appraisers. who will put legitimate
honest price on the land. In the past
vast tracts have been sold at the flat
price Of $3.50 per acre. Timber land
worth hundreds of dollars per acre has
been sold for the statutory $3.50 per
acre. Hereafter the land must be ap-
praised.
In every western state rich in its
timber lands, the seizure of lands
worth millions for their timber has
been a public scandal. Syndicates
hired individuals to file upon timber
and stone land and within sixty days
they have proved up by paying the gov
ernment $3.50 per acre for what in
thousands Of cases has been acreage
worth many thousands of dollars.
Not only must the land be appraised.
but when notice OF final proof is filed
the applicant must deposit with the
land office the amount Of the appraise-
ment. The new regulation has been
adopted to prevent the further theft OF
the nations land through the loophole
of fiat acreage price.
In .he future timber land purchased
from the government under a timber
and stone entry must be paid for at an
honest price. The rule applies all
through the great Northwest where
the grabbing Of government timber
lands by rich and powerful corpora
tons has been the crime Of the decade.
One syndicate alone In the Missis-
sippi valley country Is said through
the use OF timber and stone filings, I'd
hate built up its enormous holdings
until 1t owns more land than the gov.
ernment and its head Is pronounced to
be richer than Rockefeller.
In Colorado. Oregon and other west.
ern states the rule will require every
person who secures timber land from
the government to pay dollar for dol
lar its value, unless Of course there Is
dishonesty among the special agents
appointed by the government to ap-
praise and hx a price upon the land.
To throw full safeguards around the
appraisement Of the value of the land
by special agents of the government,
those who fix the value Of the acreage
must personally visit the land and
make an estimate OF the timber 1t
bears. THE appraiser must" the reg
ulation says. '.in making n report con-
slider the quantity. quality. accessible
ity and any other elements Of the value
Of the land and the timber thereon.
THE chief Of field division will re-
turn to the appraiser. with his objec-
tions. an appraisement which he deems
materially low or high, and the ap-
praiser shall, within twenty days from
the receipt thereof, resubmit the pa
pers with such notifications or ex-
plantations as he may deem advisable
or proper, upon receipt of which the
chief OF field division will either ap-
prove the schedule as then submitted
or forward the papers to the register
and receiver. with his memorandum Of
objection. The register and receiver
will thereupon consider the case. II
they approve the appraisement they
will sign the certificate appended
thereto and advise the chief Of field
division thereof. II the register
receiver approve the objection Of pc
chief Of field division they will SO Iii.
cate. and IL the appraising officer is an
,employe Of the Interior Department
under the supervision of the chief OF
field division they will return the pa
pers to the chief of field division, who
will thereupon order a new appraise-
ment by a different officer. II, how
eyer, the register and receiver approve
the objection Of the chief of field d.
vision, when the appraiser is an ofdcer
| OF. another bureau of this department.
or OF another department, they will
forward the record of the case to the
commissioner of the general land Of
fee. who will then determine the con-
| troyersy"