The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-01
PROPOSED CONTRACT
VETOED BY MAYOR
Turns Down Agreement to Give
Watersheds Over to Govern
ment for Ten Years.
ACTION Is BACKED UP
BY SOME STRONG REASONS
Says the Terms of Proposition
Are Not Equitable Enough
to the City.

The proposed contract between the
city and the forestry department of
the United States. by which the depart.
mcnt WAS 10 assume control of the city s
watersheds for period of ten years,
appeared 20 Mayor Bransford To be
rather too favorable 10 the forestry de-
partmcnt and unjust 10 the city and he
accordingly disapproved of the contract
and the report of the municipal laws
committee approving it, The mayor IS
veto of the proposition sets forth strong
reasons why the city should not enter
into such Il contract with tho forestry
department. He has had the matter I'M
der consideration all week and has gone
over it thoroughly. The veto without
the preamble, which was filed with the
city recorder Friday, follows:
-. The contract, provides, amgng,, other
things. that Salt Lake City shall turn
over for period of ten years TO the
department OF agriculture all The lands
owned by tho city and within the bound
aries OF what is known and designated
AS the WaSatch national forest. The
conditions under which the department.
desires the control of said lands are;
The Conditions.
The city is 10 give over the absolute
right TO the control of said lands for
the period OF ten years. in consideration.
OF which the forestry department Will
patrol The same, but the cXpcusc or sal
AIRY of the patrolnan. ranger OF guard
will have 10 be borne hv the city.
The department further agrees TO re-
plant said lands within seven years with
trees of such quality. as it deems. best
but the expenses i'm doing this work viii
have 10 be paid hy the city However.
the department agrees that Tor each acre
OF land rcplantcd on the city property
an equal number Of acres viii be planted
on tho United States lands adjacent 10
the city lands
The contract provides that tho forestry
department is 10 he the absolute judge
OF the uses or occupancy of said lands,
and said department is not in any man
ner limited as 10 the uses TO which
said lands may be applied except that
prospecting, location or development of
Inc IMMORAL resources thereon, without
the permission OF the city, This seems
to be The only Limitation as TO tho uses
OF said lands. The city is not permitted
under the terms o; the contract TO make
suggestions or recommendations as To
the city permitted 10 use any OF said
lands for municipal purposes without the
consent of tho forestry department.
More Equitable Terms.
Under the terms Of the contract the
forestry department IS TO select eighty
acres OF lands for headquarters. and. as
! understand the matter eighty acres
will b" selected in Parloys canyon The
f"ncing and equipment OF the hcadquar-
terS are 10 be paid for by the city When
tho purpose in view WAS 10 release said
lands. as much us possible, from habta-
tion, and the opening OF headquarters by
the department would be in opposition
TO that policy
! very much favor the replantinc of
SAID lands, hut believe ii should he under
more equitable terms 10 the city. For
the foregoing reasons I return the report
ana contract without my approval