OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIOREB OF INDIAN APT-. 1 New Mexico, where the Apaches conserved a magnificent forest while lands on all sides were b e i i devsstated Careful studies of timber m- are being made by forest ex. perts to-determine the methods of forest conservation best suited to each reservation, and more particularly to mm that knowledge of the stand by species and quantities, topographical conditions, trans-portation possibilities and market conditions necessary to an intelli-gent handling of timber sales; and wherever large sales are in prog-ress or in contemplation, trained forest assistants are being placed. In short, every effort consistent with the funds available is being put forth to secure economical utilization of the forests in the sole interest of the Indian owners. The forest work is rapidly becoming self-supporting. An important decision of the Comptroller of the Treasury, of September 15, 1910, makes it possible for the Secretav of the Interior, in proper cases, to meet the cost of supplies or pay the salaries of employees from the proceeds of timber cut on tribal lands. In time it may be expected that where there are important tribal forests, the annual income from forest products will go far toward meeting all expenses of the reservations. By adopting uniform contracts, permits and other blanks, by issuing more than 100 sbecially prepared pocket maps for use in the field, and particularly by putting out a set of general regu-lations and instructions for field o5oers, the o5ce has done much , during the year toward simplifying questions of administration. In the field, the construction of roads, trails, and telephone lines has been pushed, especially by the work of the forest guards; for ready communication gives the surest means of protection against the great peril of fire. In protecting forests, 125 forest guards--Indians wherever practicable--have been employed, assisted by the regular Indian police, and farmers and other reservation employees when-ever necessary. Every possible effort is being made to follow the example set at Mescalero, where the Indians have been trained by the superintendent into an effective protective force. During the present season there has been little damage from forest fires. But the extensive firas of the summer of 1910 entailed heavy expenditures. To utilize the timber in burned areas, during the com-ing winter 11,000,000 feet will be cut by the authorized contractor at Bad River, Wis., and 7,500,000 feet at Red Lake in Minnesota, will be placed on the market. Wherever there are,bodies of deaa and down timber and of overmature timber, efforts are being made to secure disposal at public sale; but unless advantageous prices can be obtained and the interests of the Indians in every way safeguarded, sales are not completed; where other disposal is not clearly more profitable, the Indians themselves are encouraged to log the smaller bodies of their timber. |