| OCR Text |
Show Here is another point. The allotments made along Cottonwood below the former forest boundary are on public land, the forest officials have not now and never have had jurisdiction over the land and have no right^ of way over it; having no/ right of way over the land below the former forest boundary what good will a right of way above the former boundary be to them or their permittees. Again, if the entire west side of Cottonwood is reserved for driveways it would be entirely useless for that purpose for the reason that in some palaces the bluffs come down to the creek bed and make passage on that side impossible, unless the bed of the stream is used. Heretofore cattle and sheep have roamed up and down the entire length of Cottonwood at will and have often destroyed the Indians'crops. It is ny understanding that the object of a driveway as requested by the Forest officials is to permit the stock of permittees to get on the forest in the spring and afifi go off in the autumn, and not to hold the land open for grazing for the stock of every one who wishes to use it at any time. The route travelled by stockmen in going to the forest and from the forest to the settlements at Blanding is directly up the bed of the Cottonwood, To avoid making allotments on the west side of Cottonwood will decrease to too great an extent the already small amount of agricultural land and would be unjust to the Indians. To exclude Forest officials and their permittees and stock fron driving up or down Cottonwood would also be unfair, Ify idea of the solution is to fence both ends of the Cottonwood Canyon, below and above the allotments, to exclude stray stock, and to permit drives up or down the bed of the stream only when requested by the Forest Ranger and when notice is given to the Indian Service employee on the ground. I believe only one or two drives will be made each season and they will go on before crops are up in the spring and off after harvest, except in the case of alfalfa crops and these will have to be enclosed anyway to exclude Indian stock. This a matter that perhaps comes under the supervision of the Superintendent, I believe it his wish that there be no driveways cf any kind. However I offer this suggestion for any value that it may have. I respectfully recommend that this matter be again taken up with the Forest Service officials looking to the end that the applications as shown in red on the plat may be allowed just as applied for. Until I am further advised these applications will not be filed. Another matter, Steve Hatch, a Ute has settled on the HE 1/ 4 Sec, 14, T. 55 S., R. 20 E., and has cleared about five acres. The Forest askes that an application for allotmenent be filed for him in order that he may not be regarded as a tresspasser. In view of the controversy over |
