The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-29
SETTLEMENT ON
THE RESERVES
AIM OF the Forest Service Act
ing Under Specific Orders
From Washington.
EXAMINERS, IN THE FIELD
LANDS SUBJECT TO RELEASE
FOR HOMESTEAD ENTRY.
Especial to The Herald


the forest service, under specific in
structions from the president and the
secretary of agriculture is to
aid the people in obtaining the fullest
use of all forest resources which is
compatible with the purposes for
which the forests were created.
Not only the water, wood and for
age. but the land itself is to be devoted
TO the most productive use for the per-
manent good of the whole people.
This means that all lands within the
forests, which are chiefly valuable for
agriculture, and which are not needed
for administrative purposes, shall be
thrown open to settlement and entry
so that citizens may till them. build
homes upon them and finally obtain
title to them. just as on similar lands
outside the forests. In order to make
such action possible congress, on June
II, 1906, passed a special act empower
ing the secretary of agriculture to de-
termine what lands should be relea sed
from the forests and given up to home-
stead entry. Since that time a corps
Of well-qualified examiners have been
employed at all seasons when weather
has permitted the survey and exami-
nations necessary to define the agri-
cultural areas. 1t is frequently a mat
ter Of the utmost difficulty for an ex-
aminer to decide whether lands are or
are not agricultural I'm nature. such
areas are usually in a mountain val
ley. often at nigh attitudes. and at
some distance above the highest farms
which trial has proved to be agricul-
tuTal in nature.
Conditions Differ.
There are drouths in summer. heavy
SHOWS i'm winter, and frosts, occurring
possibly every month in the year. to
be considered. The land may b. step.
stony. with cold or shallow soil. hard
To irrigate. and more or less covered
with brush or stumps or timber.
The applicant is invariably an op-
timist. and his friends will tell Of the
crops. grown out of reason. on neigh
boring land or similar locations. Often
the water is completely appropriated
by prior settlers. The land may be fer
tile and yet subject TO a climate which
makes impossible the continuous resi-
dence demanded by the homestead law.
In cases of doubt a liberal policy is
pursued and the benefit of the doubt
given to the applicant.
Some Dissatisfaction.
In spite of the benevolent intention
of the special forest homestead law,
and the liberal way in which it has
been interpreted by the forest officers,
over the decisions in specific cases.
This is due in part to contrast with the
lax, easy-going methods which have
prevailed in past years in paTCeling
out the public lands under other stat
utes. Certain applicants have been
greatly disappointed to find that they
could not obtain title to tracts of val
liable timber under this law. Others
applied for tracts which it was neces-
sary for the forest service to retain in
order TO make homes or pastures for
the use of the rangers. In denying
such applications the forest service
acted merely i'm self-pTeservation, as
any prudent business man would have
to do under similar circumstances
much larger force Of rangers viii bc
necessary in the future, and these men
must have headquarters in the noun
tains from which to do their WORK II
would be extremely unwise for the
government to give up lands needed
for such purposes, since IT would prob
ably be compelled to buy them back in
later years at enhanced prices.
Thorough investigation.
1t is the invariable practice 10 in
vestgate thoroughly the moral rights
as well as the legal status of claim
ants. if such there be. TO tracts recon-
mended for administrative use. When
no legal right to the land exists. but
the occupant has constructed or puT-
chased improvements. an equitable
price is agreed upon for these before
any action is taken toward withdrawal
of the land from entry.
Settlers and homemakers are desired
upOn the forests. and even when their
claims are invalid every advantage Is
given to those who show good faith I'M
der the act of June IL, 1895
a1sa4Na mn n q
ist sufficient reason to request a re-ex-
animation of lands that have been re-
Dorted uufavorably under the terms or
the act the supervisor is given copy
of the applicants letter OF protest. and
every consideration is shown the set
tier or applicant
Occasionally it occurs that there IS
an honest difference of opinion between
the applicant for a homestead and the
examining officer as to the agricultural
possibilities of the land, or the ability
of the applicant to fulfill the require
ments Of the homestead law. In such
cases it IS the policy of the service to
hold the June II application in sUspen-
sion while the applicant Is given free
use hermit for sufficient period Of
time to demonstrate his ability 10 make
a living out OF the land and to estab-
Ish a home. If this demonstration Is
successful the homesteader can be
credited for the time so expended
when making his final proof after the
land is listed for homestead entry
Protected in Their Rights.
Free-use permits also provide for
immediate occupation and cultivation
of the soil. where. in the opinion of the
supervisor, the land applied for IS
likely TO prove upon examination, 20
be chiefly valuable for agriculture. In
all cases present occupants. whether
settlers or permittees. are protected in
their rights. and when, for any reason,
the land is listed for another person,
time II allowed for harvesting growing
crops or for the removal or sale of i'm
provemerts.
Compared with the area OF the for
ests themselves. the amount OF land
available for entry under the act of
June IL is not great. L lies mainly in
the valleys in narrow strips or pockets.
and frequently IL is impossible TO OBJ
tain 100 acres within the mile limit of
extreme length set by law.
Many thousands of applications have
been received. and of these q reason
able proportion has been reported IA
vorably. During the months OF De-
cembcr and January. ferty-seven cases
in district four we're recommended IA