OCR Text |
Show TIMBER ON PUBLIC LANDS. Bala far the (ialdaaee of These Was Wlh to Cut or Hiatti lb Washington, May 6. Commissioner Carter of the general laud office, with the approval of Secretary Noble has issued to registers and receivers an important circular letter of instructions which shall govern in carrying into effect the sectious of the general land acts of March 3, ISDl. relating to the cutting of timber from publio lands. These sections only apply to the states of Colorado, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Nevada, the territory of Utah and the district of Alaska. The important features of the circular are as follows; Settlers upon publio lands, miners, farmers and other bona ride residents in either stales, district or territory ; named in this act, who bae nc a' j nf (icient suppiy of limber on luttir u'.... claims or lands for lire wood, fencing or building; purpose, or fr riM?rM. ' ; .- i -rfi. ' land owned cr oreu'- p'.tfii by then', are permitted to procurn timber from the publio lands siric'ly lor the purposes enumerated in thisree-tiou, thisree-tiou, but not for sale or disposal or use on other lands, or by other persons; but this section he!l not la construed to give the right to cut timber on auy appropriated or receive publio laiids; aud the secretary of the interior reserved the right prescribed to revoke such privileges. Persons, lirms or corporations who desire to cut timber from the public lauds for the purpose of merchandise or for auy other use whatsoever, other than as defined in sections 2, 8 aud 4 of these regulations, in list first submit an application therefor in writing to the secretary of the interior, designating the lauds by sections, towuship and range if surveyed, and if unsurveyed describing the lands by natural boundaries and estimated acres therein. They must also define the character f the land and trees or thnb.r growing therf giving entimiii, j t the v' .-.y of each kind of kinds'they desired authority author-ity to out or remove, and specified the purpose or purposes for which the timber tim-ber is required. Applications must be sworn to and witnessed by not less than four reliable and responsible citizens citi-zens of the state, the district or Ihe territory iu which the land is situated, and who reside in the locality of the particular land described. The petitioner peti-tioner or petitioners should also submit with tbo application such evidence as can be procured to conclusively show the preservation of trees or timber tim-ber on the land described is not required re-quired for the public good, but that its use as lumber or other product and for ihe purpose named in the application is a public necessity. If deemed for the public interest, the desired permission will be granted. In order that farmers who desire to have forests preserved in the interest of the water supply for irrigation and all others having adverse interests may have due notice of such applications, the parties making application shall cause to be published at least once a w(.L- fi,v tltroA rnniii.iil!vn WMiL'l in a newspaper of general ' circulation in the state, district or territory aud also in a newspaper in the county, or where there is more than one county coun-ty in each of the counties wherein the lands are situated, and a printed copy of the published notices must be submitted sub-mitted with the application, together with the atlidavit of the publisher or foreman of each newspaper, attached thereto, showing the same has been successively iuseiled the requisite number num-ber of times and the dates thereof. Cutting or removing any timber from public lands described in the application applica-tion by or for the applicant before the authority has been oliicially granted by the secretary of the interior will render ren-der the party so offending liable to prosecution for trespass and subject bis application to rejection. Saw mill owners, lumber dealers, and others who in any way or manner cause to procure timber to be cut or removed from the publio lands, in viulatiou of the law or these rules and regulations, whether directly or by men in their employ or indirectly through a contractor con-tractor by purchase, are equally guilty of trespass with the individuals who actually cut or removed such timber, and are aliki liable to criminal prosecution. |