REPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 33 



pose larger fines for first offenses. Fines amounting to $14,000 were 

 imposed in criminal cases, and the costs were generally assessed 

 against the defendants. In the seizure cases, decrees of condemnation 

 and forfeiture were entered against 294 shipments of adulterated 

 and misbranded goods. One hundred and three shipments consist- 

 ing of filthy, decomposed, or putrid substances, or containing added 

 poisonous or deleterious ingredients, which might render them in- 

 jurious to health, were destroyed, and in several instances such cases 

 have been reported for criminal prosecution. Six hundred and fifty- 

 five Notices of Judgment of terminated cases have been published, 

 and over 300 are in course of prej)aration. 



WORK FOR THE FOREST SERVICE. 



During the fiscal year 1912 the Solicitor rendered 93 formal and 

 1,148 informal written opinions to the Forest Service on the legal 

 phases of questions arising in connection with the administration of 

 the National Forests. One thousand two hundred and fifty contracts, 

 leases, bonds, and right-of-way stipulations were prepared and 

 examined for sufiiciency of execution. One thousand five hundred 

 and sixty-eight cases involving contested claims to lands within the 

 National Forests were handled during the year. These cases in- 

 volved upward of 400,000 acres of land, supporting many million 

 feet of valuable merchantable timber. Final action was taken by 

 the Secretary of the Interior or the Commissioner of the General 

 Land Office in 622 of the above cases, of which 462 were decided 

 favorably to the United States. The office filed 241 briefs in con- 

 tested-claims cases during the year and prosecuted 21 appeals, with 

 accompanying briefs, to the Secretary of the Interior from adverse 

 decisions of the commissioner, and made 5 oral arguments before the 

 Secretary. Depositions were taken by the office in 75 cases. Regula- 

 tions for the administration of the National Forests were revised 

 during the year and upward of 50 proclamations and Executive orders 

 eliminating lands from the National Forests were either prepared or 

 passed upon by the office. The office handled 406 cases of grazing, 

 timber, fire, and occupancy trespasses on the National Forests. Those 

 which were concluded favorably to the Government during the year 

 resulted in the payment into the Treasury of $67,322.54, and in 

 several criminal cases substantial jail sentences were imposed. Puni- 

 tive, in addition to actual, damages in the sum of $704.70 were re- 

 covered during the year in cases involving illegal grazing on the 

 forests. The office passed upon 56 applications for power permits 

 and heard 2 oral arguments of attorneys for applicants for con- 

 flicting permits. Upward of 60 complaints, briefs, and indictments 

 were prepared at request of the United States attorneys during the 



70481°— AGB 1912 3 



