1904 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 579 



above all fuel must he provided. This claimed, as their own by right of dis- 

 timber question in all such matters covery and exploration, and they very 

 is fundamental and should, it would naturally regard any limitation of the 

 seem, receive primary consideration. privilege of cutting timber of doing 

 The prudent manager of a mine in a anything else as they please, when 

 forest reserve would, therefore, make they please, and where they please, as 

 provision for timber at the very be- an infringement of an inalienable 

 ginning of his preparations for any right, and they resent it accordingly, 

 such proposed undertaking, by sub- That such position, while natural un- 

 mitting proper application for the der the circumstances, is a mistaken 

 amount which he estimates will be one is apparent to any right thinking 

 required to serve his ends. And the person, and none is (pricker to realize 

 same for any special privilege. Let his error than the bona fide miner him- 

 the application be made for what it self. When once he appreciates \\hat 

 is expected will be wanted, at the very the innovation is intended to accom- 

 inception of the enterprise. An appli- plish, he promptly adapts his affairs 

 cation costs nothing, neither does it to the new regime without damage or 

 bind the applicant to take what is asked serious inconvenience to himself or his 

 for; it is merely a preparatory, often interests. The honest miner who in 

 a precautionary step, and if ultimately good faith is developing or working 

 it be found necessary to abandon the his property encounters no real diffi- 

 plan, if circumstances make it need- culty when he confronts the forest re- 

 less to secure the timber or to obtain serve law and regulations; but it is 

 the privilege, no harm has been done the stake locater and the person who 

 by the application and the negotiations seeks fraudently to secure a body of 

 initiated by it may be suspended or timber under a pretended mining loca- 

 rinally dropped. If, on the other hand, tion, that meet with insuperable obsta- 

 what was applied for should be really cles to the attainment of thier un- 

 needed, the timely application prepares worthy objects. \Yhat mine owner 

 the way for the utilization of that when looking for timber in the vicin- 

 \\hicli was asked for at the appointed ity of his claim has not found the best 

 time and place. Kxperience has clem- and most accessible supply covered by 

 oust rated that the exercise of common invalid locations made by some unscru- 

 business forethought will enable all pulous grafter for no other purpose 

 parties in a forest reserve to get what than to "hold up" the legitimate miner 

 they are legitimately entitled to re- and compel him to purchase a worth- 

 ceive before the time for its use is less claim in order to secure timber 

 reached. There need be no delay or to which he is lawfully entitled with- 

 inconvenience on account of reserve out money and without price. These 

 regulations. hold-up schemes are common, but al- 

 M iners are more prone to be careless most daily in the forest reserves they 

 in respect of these matters than most are being thwarted by the watchful- 

 other people, and consequently from ness and zeal of forest officers and 

 them come the bitterest criticisms timber involved in them made available 

 when they are first brought in con- for use by those actually needing it 

 tact with' the regulations. The ex- for legitimate purposes. Nothing is 

 planation is simple. For fifty years more detrimental to the true miner's 

 the miners of the west have followed best interests than speculative loca- 

 tbe suggestions of their will; they turns. At the first indication of a pros- 

 have cut and slashed the forests un- pector's having made a valuable dis- 

 restrained : they have taken without covery, every inch of 

 let and destroyed without hindrance, ground, every mill site in the vicimt 

 Unfamiliar with the new order of every foot of desirable dump grour 

 things, they look upon the country every acre of timber for miles around 

 which their energy and fortitude re- is seized and staked off by the spec 



