Gilpin observer., 1918-06-27


and Clear Creek counties, Senator
John F. Shafroth last week intro
duced in the United States senate a
bill to abolish the northern portion
of. the Pike national forest lying
within the three counties, and which
includes an extensive mineralized
territory within which are situated
the mining camIs of Nederland, Car
ibou, Eldora. Roninsville, Gilpin,
Perigo, Kingston, Alice, Apex and
many others.
The entire area embraces roughly,
about 100000 acres, but it is believ-
ed that more than $4,000 acres are
Patented and held under private
ownership, intersr ersed with the fed
eral lands. The region should new
er have been placed in the forest re-
serve, as it is wholly mineral in
character and has been examined as
such by the United States geologi-
cal survey. Moreover, a large por-
tion lies above timberline, and
very large part of the remainder
has been denuded of timber in the
days of early mining activity. All
of the heavily timbered tracts have
long since been patented and are
owned by individuals. The inclus
ion of this territory in forest re-
serve in the first place was farce.
The reserve was established by pres
idential PROCLAMATION, but it now re-
quires an act of congress to dismem-
. ber any Fart of national forest.
While ostensibly the forest bureau
was supposed to encourage mining
and prospecting within, the reserves,
1t opposed the issuance of every pat
ent applied for. This policy led to
the complete abandonment of pros
pecting and mine development with
in forest tracts, as no prospectOr or
miner would waste his time and
money opening up a mine to which
he would be unable to obtain title.
The red-tape, rules and regulations,
run into the thousands, making full
compliance Herewith difficult even
for the forest rangers themselves.
The result of the cancellation of
hundreds Of applications for patent
thru the opposition of the forest bu-
| reau, has caused the three counties
TO be deprived Of a very consider
able amount of revenue that would
the taxation of the newly patented
claims. No further taxable real
property can be added to their tax
rclls, hence the present taxpayers
will forever continue to pay all Of
the taxes required for state, county
and school purposes. AS partial
offset to the loss Of taxable property
to the counties, the forest bureau
of each county annually 25 per cent
of the net proceeds from the sale of
timber, camping and picnic permits,
and grazing fees. The sums paid
into the county treasure so far have
been insignificant compared with the
amount the counties would have re-
ceived from taxation of the patent
ed claims cancelled.
The forest bureau advertises the
Pike national forest as zone of the
greatest public Fairgrounds In Am
erica" and 1t cordially invites the
public to camping and fishing ex-
petitions and to hold picnics on
, James Peak and elsewhere within
the reserve. It also desires to have
the people establish summer homes
on five-acres tracts for which only
a nominal" rental charge will be
made for twenty years. The wood
hauler desiring to gather fallen tim
ber Is compelled to pay tribute to
the forest bureau. Mining timbers
must be raid for at SO much per
thousand feet board measure. Every
tree above 10 inches in diameter
two feet above the ground is for
sale, and the Price and terms of
sole may be obtained from the for
est ranger. The mining man con-
structing a ditch, telephone or tele.
graph wires, or electric transmission
lines within the reserve must first
obtain a permit from the forest bu-
reau OF the Department of Agricul-
ture. These ard other restrictions
have retarded the mining industry
to such an extent that 1t Is no won
der that the sampling works at
Georgetown and Black Hawk have
been dismantled, and that the min
ing industry is on the wane.
No person can object to forest re-
serves when properly established