

84 BOTANICAL SURVEY OF THE CCEUR D ALENE MOUNTAINS. 



the smokestacks of their locomotives, or, failing to do this, the right 

 of way through the forest should he kept permanently clear of all 

 debris that would enable a fire originating on their premises to spread 

 into the adjoining timber, and the cost of such work, if done by the 

 district commissioner, should be a lien upon the property of the com- 

 pany until paid. 



It is customary around many saw ami shingle mills since the law 

 prohibiting the throwing of sawdust into streams became effective to 

 burn the refuse. This is sometimes carried away to a distance 1'rom 

 the mill and there consumed. Fires occasionally spread from such 

 places into the forest. Regulations should be made effective that would 

 obviate all danger from this source. 



Any person to whom the foregoing provisions of licenses apply, if 

 found pursuing his avocation in the forest regions without the proper 

 permits, should be treated as a trespasser and punished as such. 

 Simple ejectment as a penalty would be insufficient. Fine or impris- 

 onment, or both, should be imposed, and in the, case of prospectors no 

 mineral claim location should be recorded unless the discoverer pos- 

 sessed the proper license. 



Around many of the larger mining camps in the forest areas are 

 found a class of squatters holding small parcels of hind outside the town 

 limits. They are mostly miners by occupation, live there with their 

 families, and cultivate small patches of land tor gardens. As these 

 holdings are within the areas where the land would be considered more 

 valuable for forest purposes than for agriculture, no tilings upon these 

 lands, unindorsed by the commissioner, should be accepted at the land 

 oftice. A provision should be made for this class by permitting the 

 occupancy of small tracts within the forest limits — say 10 or 15 acres — 

 at the discretion of the commissioner, the title to be merely possessory, 

 but to be transferable to other parties in the manner of a mining claim, 

 with this exception, that no patent from the United States should ever 

 issue for the same to anybody, it being only regarded as a lease from 

 the United States to the party actually in occupancy. 



In dividing the forest areas it would be best to follow political 

 boundaries for the present, as, for example, county lines, although 

 by such a plan many districts would include considerable areas des- 

 titute of forests. To limit the districts to the tracts actually covered 

 by timber would be preferable, but would require much time and cost. 



The system would be to a great extent, if not wholly, self-supporting. 

 In addition to the stumpage income a certain fee should be required 

 for each license. In addition to this the mining laws should be so 

 amended as to require all tilings upon mineral claims to be made with 

 the district commissioner instead of the county clerk, as is now the 

 case. This would in the mining districts add to the revenues and 

 serve as an additional check upon the prospectors. Deputy district 

 commissioners should be permissible where necessary, as should also 



