Bisbee daily review., 1914-01-04
MINING LAWS USED ID CLOAK FRAUDS N
 NATIONAL FORESTS
Chief Forester Graves Re- ports That Fraudulent Claims Are Filed by Inter lopers

Q NASfilsNOlO lO4N, Jtns o.--fAttoIuint to the annual report of Forester Hen rv s. Graves, to the Department of Agriculture, the mining laws, afford the greatest cloak for land frauds in the national forests. and fraudulent mining claims are initiated by men and interests having no connection whatever with the mining industry. The mining laws, for examp,e, have bsen used to cover townsite and tim Der claims. to secure farms and ranch es, to secure mineral springs, sites for saloons. water power sites, and stock watering places.
 It has often been asserted that the national forests have operated as a bar to legitimate mining development. Figures collected in Colorado during the past year snow that. if anything, there is more activity in prospecting on the national forests than outside.
 As with the stock industry, the proper relations of the forest service with the mining industry should be cooperative.
 One of the largest tasks of the ser vice during the past year has been the classification of lands within the national forests in respect to their highest future use. This work was undertaken during 1913 on a more comprehensive scale than ever before. because there was a specific appro- priation for the purpose. Large areas are being classified where the amount of land chiefly valuable for agricul- ture warrants its being taken cut of the forests. and iS also takes care O. ar,hs on witch detniled classified ton will disclose small areas suitable for agricultural development within the forests. The work is being car ried on with the assistance of the bu- reau of soils and the bureau of plant industry. One result of this work was the elimination of 30,0O0 acres from the Nebraska national forest, 23,000 acres from the Rainier. in Washing ton, and 413.77O acres from the Des- chutes and Paulina, in oregon. About 300. 900 acres in small isolated tracts were listed for settlement during te year. The areas nov being examined for classification have a total area or about million acres.
 The development of water power upon the national forests increased rapidly during the year, particularly in California. It is the purpose of the service to encourage power develop ment in every possible way. while safeguarding the interests of the pub lie. The minimum output from the permits now in force is nearly 800 thousand horsepower.
 Regulations now in force aim to safeguard the interests Of the public, prevent speculative holding of the power sites. provide for complete and proper development and continuous operation, secure a return to the gov ernment and continuous operation, secure a return to the government for
 the privilege lsranted. provide a means by which states and munich palities may acquire power permits
 adn prevents unjust charges being placed on the consumer.
 The forests are being made in creaslngly accessible. More than 36O miles of road, nearly 300 miles of , fire lines, nearly 4OOO miles of tele phone lines and 26O0 miles of trails were built. The present value of all public improvements on the forests ls , somewhat over $3,00O.OOO. two-third' , of this amount having been put into lines of communication and protec
 tion.
 Receipts from all sources for th' l year were slightly under $2 1OO,O0V showing an increase of IA per cen
 over 1912 while expenditures fer ad ministration and protection wer n slightly over st.6OO.O00. showing
 decrease from 1912 of ? per cent. It
 pointed out that the work of examil
 ing and appraising timber prior [
 sale is seriously behind hand in som E. regions, and that larger receipts fror , timber are contingent upcn the fund
 that can be made available for t.i
 purpose. Although. money for timee e sale work is necessarily subtracte Il from what is needed to protect tn n. forests against fire. improved orgal
 iation of the hre-protectivc systei
 has increased its eciency. Own - partly to favorable weather cond Ia ticns the total fire loss was on 1T s67,O00, less than l9 per cent of la
 year, which was the best to date. '' The resident population of the 10 be ests is given as nearly 100000, ar E. the transient population Is over i,5o' 900. Recreation use of the forests
 increasing greatly, and is in son
 places giving rise to the need [ y careful sanitary regulation in the m. terest of the 1.20O cities deriyi' their swater supplies from strear protected by tlie ferests. 2 Y q
 ITpder existing law 25 per cent