22 



ing made by the Forest officers in their proofs and at the hearings. In order 

 to defeat a claim it will be necessary to clearly establish by a preponderance 

 of the evidence that the claimant has not complied with the Inw. 



15. Claims against which action may be taken by examination and report to 

 the Forester, as hitherto practiced, or by complaint under the circular of June 

 26, include all assertions of right or title to land in National Forests whether 

 by the filing of an application, entry, location, or other writing, in the local land 

 office, county records, or elsewhere, or by posting notice on the ground, or by 

 occupancy or otherwise. If the Forest officer believes that the claimant settled 

 unlawfully upon lands withdrawn for National Forest purposes and is making 

 unlawful use of the lands claimed by him, or is injuring National Forest inter- 

 ests, action should be taken at once without waiting for notice of final proof. 



JAMES B. ADAMS, 



Acting Forester. 



Regulations governing. Hearings respecting Claimed Bights under the 

 Public Land Laws within National Forests. 



DEPABTMENT OF THE INTEBIOR, 



GENERAL LAND OFFICE, 



June 26, 1907. 

 To Registers and Receivers and 



Special Agents of the General Land Office: 

 The following circular is substituted for circular of May 3, 1907 : 



1. A Government officer in charge of any National Forest may initiate a con- 

 test or other proceedings before the Land Department respecting the unlawful 

 occupation or use of land within a National Forest by reason of a claim made 

 thereto under any of the public land laws. 



2. As a basis for such proceeding, such officer shall file, in the local land office 

 for the district in which the lands involved are located, a complaint signed by 

 him in his official capacity, but not under oath or corroborated, setting forth 

 facts respecting the alleged unlawful occupation or use of the public lands. 



3. Upon filing of a sufficient complaint in any case in which final certificate 

 has not issued, the register and receiver will issue a notice with a copy of such 

 complaint attached thereto to the defendant, notifying him that unless he, within 

 thirty days from the receipt of such notice, files in their office a denial or answer 

 to such charges in writing and under oath, the truth of such charges will be 

 taken as confessed by him, and any entry, filing, or claim asserted to such land, 

 under the land laws by such party, may be declared forfeited or canceled with- 

 out further notice to him. 



4. When a complaint has been filed respecting any claim upon which final 

 certificate has issued, or where denial under oath is filed in answer to a notice 

 issued under the preceding paragraph, the same will be at once forwarded to 

 the Commissioner of the General Land Office and the further progress of the 

 matter will be in accordance with the circular of February 14, 1906, defining 

 the manner of proceeding upon special agent's reports. 



Very respectfully, FRED DENNETT, 



Acting Commissioner. 

 Approved June 26, 1907. 



GEORGE W. WOODRUFF, Acting Secretary. 



Final Proof on Claims Within Forest Reserves. 

 [CIRCULAR.] 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 



GENERAL LAND OFFICE, 

 Washington, D. C., August 1, 1905. 

 Registers and, Receivers, United States Land Offices: 



GENTLEMEN : Attention is called to the following reissue of the circular of 

 April 8, 1905, with additions thereto suggested by the Forestry Bureau, Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. The original circular is in full force and effect, the reissue 



