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Show WILL SETTLE THE CLKO RANGE WAR I i u Associate Forester Potter Departs for Elko, Nevada, to Confer With Sheep and Cattle Owners Has Been in Idaho, Selecting Forest For-est Lands to Be Segregated From the National Forests. " 4 Associate Forester Potter of the national na-tional forts service returned from Boise, Idaho, j'esterday and today departed de-parted for Elko, Nevada, whore he will spend a week adjusting matters regarding grazing lands in that locality. lo-cality. Mr. Potter says that for a number of years past differences have prevailed among the sheep and cattle cat-tle as to the territory In the national forests used for grazing purposes and that tho differences have occasioned bad feeling, in many instances, and much trouble between the parties concerned. Before leaving the Nevada country Mr. oPtter will endeavor to 6olve the vexed problem in a manner that will be satisfactory to all concerned and in a way that will make the conclusion conclu-sion final. Boundary lines between sheep and cattle ranges is one of the most aggravating questions, it being contended that there must be a definite defi-nite line of demarkation between the ranges, because the cattle and sheep do not feed well together This question ques-tion has caused much friction between cattle and sheep men and the controversy contro-versy has reached such extremes in some instances that human lives have been taken and a great deal of property prop-erty destroyed. If Mr Potter succeeds suc-ceeds in settling the question he will accomplish much good in the stock raising interests of the sage brush state Idaho Land Problems. While at Boise, Mr Potter met with the land board of the Gem state for the purpose of settling certain land questions that have been before the department of ngriculture for some time and which had boon considered by the Idaho land board for a number num-ber of years. When the forest reserves re-serves wereestablishe dinthestate serves were established in the state much state land was designated as forest lands. To reimburse the state for those lands the secretary of the agricultural department decided to permit the state to select certain lands of the forest reserves and use them in the Interests of the state, the state to have the privilege of choosing lands as nearly in compact form as possible. Mr Potter and the members of the land board made a careful Inspection of large areas of lorest lands and the state land board, aftor the Inspection, made the selections. They selected 90,000 acres of land, 75,000 acres of which is in the Clearwater country and 15,000 acres in the Boise forest, the selection being agreed to by Mr Potter in behalf of the agricultural department, de-partment, the forestry service being a branch of that department. State Must Preserve Forests. While the state of Idaho will be given a title in fee simple to thest lands, which are now designated as "indemnity selections," there Is a tacit understanding that they shall be preserved pre-served as forest lands. It Is also stipulated In the agreement that the state shall preserve favorable conditions condi-tions of stream flow on the headwaters headwa-ters of navigable streams as well as preserve permanently tho value of the lands for forest purposes. It Is also stipulated that the state shall protect the forts lands against fire and other destructive agencies and that the timber tim-ber of the lands shall be sold only under such rules and regulations aa will insure reproduction of the forests. for-ests. The forester says that the state will have an absolute title to the lands in question and that the United States government is trusting to the integrity of the state to carry out the provision regarding the preservation preserva-tion of the lauds for forest purposed A violation of the agreement respecting respect-ing these matters will not invalidate the state's title to the lands, but the government fully expects the state to keep its word in this respect. Other States May Act. Mr. Potter states that an effort is being put forth by the officers of the agricultural department to get western west-ern states to select national forest lands and get the benefits of the titn ber found on them, the only consideration consid-eration being that the forests shall bo perpetuallj' preserved as forest lands and that the watersheds in the forests be preserved for the people South Dakota has already taken the matter up, Idaho being the second state to accept the plan. An agreement ha? been entered Into between the agricultural department and the state of Idaho for the examination exami-nation of surveyed and unsurveyed sections 16 and 36, and other lands located within the national forests of the state, for the purpose of making an exchange of designated sections of state lands for lands of similar character char-acter and equal value within the national na-tional forests, which are to be selected select-ed in as compact bodies as may be practicable, and Illmlnated from the national forests for the benefit of the state, under provisions which will add both the surveyed and unsurveyed sections 16 and 36 to the national forests for-ests Mr otter states that the latter plan of exchange involves about 400,-000 400,-000 acres of land. , on |
