The copper era and Morenci leader., 1916-04-14
ARIZONA BUREAU
 IF MINES

The State Bureau of Mines has
 had many inquiries relative to pros
 pecting on forest reserves, and de-
 sires to make the following announce
 ment:
 Broadly speaking, the rules relat-
 r ing to prospecting for mineral on
 forest reserves are just the same as ion any public land The occasion
 for any difference between the forest
 service and the prospector is usually Itae result of the fact that, because i the Forest Service covers it's terri
 tory with rangers, the land laws are enfo-ced, while on the public domain there is no provision for doing this and in consequence their application has been very largely lost sight of. ] All mineral land, whether on forest reserves or on other unlocated land, is under the jurisdiction of the fn- terior, while the Forest Service comes under that of the Secretary of Agri- culture The part which the Forest Service takes in connection with min eral lands is merely that. of carrying out a courtesy of one department to another and because they have men on the ground who are available for the work. There is the advantage, however, that the Forest Service is presumed to, and does go into all the facts and as far as possible adjust any differences. It is their purpose and intention to encourage development of any mineral land in great many cases because it is very desirable as a matter of fire protection to have the reserve occupied.
 In addition to this fact, the Act creating the forest reserve specifical- ly states in the following language: *****'but it is not the purpose or in- tent of these provisions, or of the act providing for such reservations, to authorize the inclusion therein of lands more valuable for the mineral therein, or for agricultural purposes, than for forest purposes
 That the situation is fully realized is shown also by. the following quota tion from the Act or it's amendments:
 ''The Secretary of the Interior may permit, under the regulations pre- scribed by him the use of the timber and stone found upon such reserva- tions, free of charge, by bona fide set tiers, mine residents, and prospectors for mineral, for firewood, fencing, buildings, mining, prospecting, and other domestic pTr1oses, as may be needed by such He-sons for sllcn pur- poses; such timber to be used within the state or territory, respectively, where such reservations may be To- cated."
 Nothing herein shal be construed as prohibiting the egress or ingress of actual settlers residing within the boundaries of such reservations, or from crossing the same to and from their property or homes; and such wagon roads and other improvements may be constructed thereon as may be recesSary to reach their homes and to utilize their property under such rules and regulations for all proper and lawful purposes. including that of prospecting, locating and develop ment,
 PROVIDED, that such persons con- ply with the rules and regulations covering such forest reservations D
 All water on such reservations may be used for domestic, mining, milling, or irrigating purposes, under the laws of the state wherein such forest reservations are situated, Or under the laws of the United States and the rules and regulations estab- lished hereunder
 And any mineral lands in any for est reservation which have been or which may be shown to be such, and subject to entry under the existing mining laws of the United States and the rules and regulations applying thereto, shall continue to be subject to such location and entry notwith- standing any provisions herein con tained.''
 From "The Use Book it will be very evident that the policy of the Forest Service is to give anyone who goes on the forest reserve in