THE WEEKS BILL 



431 



The President has also signed proclama- 

 tions eliminating from the Gunnison Na- 

 tional Forest, Colorado, 11,195 acres; from 

 the Cochetopa Forest 5,640 acres, and from 

 the Uncompahgre Forest 45,489 acres. 



The lands excluded from the Gunnison com- 

 prise several strips from one-half mile to one 

 mile in width, located along the exterior 

 boundaries of the western portion of the 

 forest and embracing particularly lands which 

 have agricultural possibilities. The most ex- 

 tensive and important of the changes af- 

 fects lands lying along the western boundary 

 south of the north fork of the Gunnison 

 River, and along Minnesota and Reynolds 

 creeks. Also a few sections have been elim- 

 inated along Smith's Fork and Crystal Creek. 



The lands excluded from the Cochetopa are 

 rolling foothills and level flats along the ex- 

 terior boundaries of the southeastern portion 

 of the forest in three different places. 



The lands excluded from the Uncompahgre 

 are, located in the southeastern corner of the 

 old Uncompahgre Forest, in San Miguel 

 County. The territory contains no merchant- 

 able timber of value, and is not considered of 

 importance from the standpoint of forest con- 

 servation. Of this area, 23,560 acres has al- 

 ready been alienated through homestead and 

 other entries. 



)^ 5^ )^ 



The Fire Protection Work with the Railways 



In the Northwest arrangements have been 

 made to put in operation the cooperative 

 agreement between the men of the depart- 

 ment of forestry and the officials of the rail- 

 road companies which traverse the national 

 forests. The forest engineers are making de- 

 tailed maps, showing all the vantage points 

 and the zones of greatest danger along the 

 railroad lines. Clause i of the agreement re- 



quires that the railroads clean up effectively 

 all the rubbish, debris, and inflammable ma- 

 terial in the zones of greatest danger, and it 

 is necessary for the forest service to desig- 

 nate these zones on maps. The maps have 

 spaces for the railroad companies to insert 

 the names of the men to take charge of this 

 work. The location of the caches of tools are 

 marked on the map and the telephone stations 

 are made in colored spots. This work will 

 be very valuable in helping the parties to the 

 agreement to get together quickly in case fire 

 is discovered along the railroad territory. 

 The zones of greatest danger from fire will 

 be patrolled by men on "speeders," while 

 other districts will be patrolled by men on 

 foot. The forestry department's map will be 

 completed in a few days and then turned 

 over to the railroad companies to fill in their 

 part of the work. 



«««?«* 



District No, 1 



Recently W. B. Greeley, district forester of 

 district No. i, has been upon the north edge 

 of the Flathead national forest examining two 

 large areas of timber that the government 

 has decided to sell on account of the timber 

 being thoroughly mature. Some of it meas- 

 ures from three to four feet in diameter. 

 When this large timber is removed, it is 

 planned to replant the district cleared. 



It is reported that the examination also 

 showed some tracts adapted for agricultural 

 purposes, and as soon as the timber, which 

 is very dense, is cut, the land will be open 

 for homestead entry subject to the existing 

 laws of the government. These lands to be 

 opened for agricultural purposes are situated 

 at the bottom and along the high water- 

 shed on the north side of the reserve. 



THE WEEKS BILL 



The bill for the acquisition of national for- 

 ests which has become popularly known as 

 the Weeks Bill, passed the House of Rep- 

 resentatives at midnight on Friday, the 24th 

 of June, by a vote of 130 to in. It was 

 fought at every stage by its opponents in 

 the House, and an attempt was made t<^ pre- 

 vent its passage by dilatory tactic;, when it 

 finally came before the Hou'iC. Its passage 

 was a triumph for the management and hard ■ 

 work of the men in whose hands it has been. 



In the Senate the bill came up on Thurs- 

 day, and an open filibuster was immediately 



begun by Senator Burton of Ohio and Sena- 

 tor Newlands of Nevada, assisted, to some 

 extent, by certain other senators. Owing to 

 the determination of the Senate to adjourn 

 on Saturday, the filibuster was successful 

 in preventing the passage of the bill at that 

 time, but an agreement was reached by which 

 a vote will be taken on the bill on the 15th 

 of February, 191 1. 



In the August number of American For- 

 ESTRY we shall give a fuller account of the 

 proceedings, and an analysis of the vote on 

 the bill in the House. 



