336 



ANNUAL KEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



use of the Forest Service as an administrative site. Several applica- 

 tions of defendant for permits to occupy the land were denied, not- 

 withstanding which he continued in possession, claiming want of 

 authority in the President to reserve the land. The court held that 

 defendant's occupancy was both a purpresture and a public nuisance, 

 and decreed immediate abatement thereof, holding that, if there were 

 any doubt of the power of the President generally to withdraw the 

 lands, the act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 847), although passed 

 after the withdrawal, was sufficient to sustain it, upon the theory 

 that the continued recognition of the withdrawal after the passage 

 of that act by the departments of the Government concerned with 

 the administration of the public domain as representatives of the 

 President was in effect tantamount to a renewal of the withdrawal. 



THE WEEKS FORESTRY LAW (36 STAT., 961). 



There was marked increase in the results accomplished under the 

 Weeks forestry law during 1915, as will appear by comparison of 

 the tabulated statements in this report and the report for 1914. A 

 larger number of titles were examined, more reports were submitted 

 to the Department of Justice, and the acreage acquired was greater. 



Following approval by the National Forest Reservation Commis- 

 sion of purchases in the " Boone Area," which includes parts of 

 McDowell, Mitchell, Burke, and Caldwell Coimties, N. C, the office 

 perfected arrangements for handling the examination of titles therein 

 during the coming year. Necessary data pertaining to State grants 

 of the lands proposed to be acquired are now being copied from the 

 records in the capitol at Raleigh. 



From time to time during the year title attorneys have assisted 

 United States attorneys in the preparation of their reports to th« 

 Attorney General upon titles referred to them for opinions and in 

 the preparation and conduct of condemnation proceedings. 



Appended is a summary in terms of acres of operations under the 

 Weeks law from the beginning to June 30, 1915. 



state and area. 



Purchases 

 authorized 



Purchases 

 completed. 



Reports in Department 

 of Justice. 



For opin- 

 ion. 



For con- 

 demnation. 



Georgia: 



Georgia 



Savannah 



New Hampshire: 



White Mountain. . 

 North Carolina: 



Boone 



Mount Mitchell. . . 



Nantahala 



Pisgah 



Savannah 



South Carolina: 



Savannah 



Tennessee: 



Cherokee 



Smoky Mountain. 



WhiteTop 



Unaka 



61,652 

 2 34, 752 



256,467 



36. 386 

 75,333 

 39,003 

 86, 700 

 39,452 



25,001 



3 135, 686 

 59, 213 



84. 387 

 19, 756 



131,002.89 

 4, 171. 70 



106,012.67 



146. 30 



23, 700. 68 

 16,246.07 



70, 618. 74 



28,696.49 

 28, 462. 90 



434.02 

 213. 56 



2,303.87 

 2, 166. 89 



12, 364. 85 



840. 07 



45,121.44 

 "39,'i67.'82 



126. 79 

 '61,350.41 



15,019.02 



15,988.10 



6, 302. 87 



10,098.58 

 11,941.03 



1 874 acres reported in this area in last year's report now carried in the Savannah (Ga.) area. 



2 Acreage reported last year reduced under actual survey. 



' The acreage was reduced subsequent to e.x;amination of titles. 



