64TH CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 1st Session. CONSOLIDATION OF FOREST LANDS IN THE FLORIDA NATIONAL FOREST. APRIL 13, 1916.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. MAYS, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 3764.] The Committee on the Public Lands, having had under consideration the bill (S. 3764) to consolidate certain forest lands in the Florida National Forest, begs leave to report the bill to the House with recommendations that it do pass. From the records of the General Land Office it appears that the Florida National Forest is composed of two forest units, the Choctawatchee and the Ocala. These two units were consolidated under the name of the Florida National Forest by a proclamation of April 17, 1911. The Choctawatchee division of the forest lies in the northwestern part of the State, in Santa Rosa and Walton Counties, while the other is in the east central part, in Marion and Lake Counties. The gross area of these two divisions which now comprise the Florida National Forest is estimated by the General Land Office to be 673,879 acres. Of this gross acreage more than half is included in final railroad and State selections and patented and pending entries. Most of these alienations are in the Choctawatchee division, nearly all of the odd-numbered sections having passed to the Pensacola & Georgia Railroad under the act of Congress approved May 17, 1856 (11 Stat., 15). Within the exterior limits of the reserve there are still about 299,166 acres to which title rests in the Government. The object of this bill is to consolidate the holdings of the Government within the exterior limits of the reserve. It is desired to have as nearly a compact holding as possible rather than a great number of small ones scattered over a large area. And, as is indicated by the report of the Secretary of Agriculture on this division, there is a large acreage along the coast which is valuable only for the culture of forests and which could be acquired by the Government, while other lands which are of greater value for agricultural purposes might as readily be disposed of. The consolidation, if effected, would, according to the report of the superintendent of the Florida National Forest, render the management of the reserve much easier as well as cheaper, and would at the same time make it possible to make more effective preparation against forest fires. Attached hereto are reports from the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, in both of which the proposed legislation finds support. Hon. HENRY L. MYERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Chairman Committee on Public Lands, United States Senate. MY DEAR SENATOR: In response to your request therefor I have the honor to submit the following report on S. 3764, "To consolidate certain forest lands in the Florida National Forest": The records of the General Land Office show the Florida National Forest to be composed of two separate forest units-the Choctawhatchee and the Ocalawhich were consolidated under the name of Florida National Forest by proclamation of April 17, 1911. The Choctawhatchee division is in the northwestern part of the State, in Santa Rosa and Walton Counties, and the Ocala division in the east central part, in Marion and Lake Counties. The estimated gross area of the national forest is 673,879 acres more than half of which is embraced in final railroad and State selections and patented and pending entries. The greater portion of such alienations are within the Choctawhatchee division, in which practically all the odd-numbered sections passed to the Pensacola & Georgia Railroad under the act of Congress approved May 17, 1856 (11 Stat., 15). The total present area within the exterior limits of the reserve, title to which is still in the Government, is approximately 299,166 acres. As will be perceived from the foregoing, the object sought to be attained by this bill will not be secured under S. 2380, now pending before your committee, as the latter bill only relates to the exchange of school lands, while in this case I am informed that the major part of the lands involved is lands granted to railroads or patented to private individuals. This department has not sufficient information upon which to base a definite and specific recommendation upon this measure, but suggests that the Secretary of Agriculture may be able to furnish your committee with more complete information and with specific recommendation in the premises. Should the Secretary of Agriculture favor the enactment of the measure, this department would interpose no objection thereto. Chairman Committee on Public Lands, United States Senate. DEAR SENATOR MYERS: I wish to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the bill (S. 3764) to consolidate certain forest lands in the Florida National Forest, with the request that your committee be sent such suggestions and recommendations as this department may see fit to offer. The bill authorizes and empowers the Secretary of the Interior, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture, to exchange lands belonging to the United States for privately owned lands of approximately equal values within the exterior limits of the Florida National Forest, which lands upon the consummation of the exchange shall become a part of that forest. The Florida National Forest consists of two units, the larger and more important of which is situated on Choctawhatchee Bay and Santa Rosa Sound in west Florida, in the counties of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton. The other division is located in east Florida, on the St. Johns River, in Marion and Volusia Counties. The total gross acreage of the forest is 673,879 acres, of which 299,166 acres are owned by the Government, the remainder being in the hands of private owners. Since the two divisions of the forest differ somewhat in general conditions, the purpose of this report will be best served by considering them separately. Choctawhatchee division.-The Choctawhatchee or western division of the forest has a total gross acreage of 467,790 acres, of which 157,718 acres belong to the Government; 310,072 acres have been alienated and are now privately owned. With the exception of several solid bodies of Government land along Choctawhatchee Bay, the Government lands and private holdings are inter-mixed, checkerboard fashion, throughout the division. Practically the entire area is uniformly covered with a forest growth of long-leaf pine, valuable not only for saw timber, crossties, etc., but for its naval-stores by-product. The considerable area of privately owned lands within the forest boundaries presents many difficulties in fire protection and fire suppression. If the forest lands were consolidated in one large body, or even in several smaller bodies, their administration would be rendered much less difficult, and it would become possible to reduce the cost of administration and increase its effectiveness. Since the Florida forest contains the only long-leaf pine owned or controlled by the Government, it presents the sole opportunity that the Government has to render practical assistance to the people of the South in conducting studies and experiments in this species on a large scale. Practical turpentine experiments have been carried on in this forest for a number of years, and the results so obtained are of the utmost value to the naval-stores operators throughout the South. The consolidation of the forest lands will make it possible to carry on these experiments at greatly reduced cost and with much better results. The cattle business is one of growing importance in Florida, and as the State is settled up the national forest will become more and more important to this industry. Through consolidation only is it possible to effectively administer the range in the forest. If the exchange is authorized, the western division of the forest could be contracted to about one-half of its present size. It would then be possible to establish well-defined forest boundaries which can be seen and readily understood by local inhabitants. At present the boundaries are so indefinite that the local people are frequently guilty of innocent trespass because of the difficulty of locating the forest boundaries. As soon as consolidated the gross income of the forest should increase, since it will then be possible to dispose of much fully matured timber which now can not be disposed of on account of the cost of handling scattered units. Ocala division.-This part of the forest is located near the center of the peninsula of Florida. The lands within the exterior boundaries are not so intimately mixed as in the case of the Choctawhatchee division. However, there is need of exchange and consolidation in the two north townships of the division. While differing in degree, the benefits to be derived from consolidation in the Ocala division are the same as those mentioned for the Choctawhatchee division. The greatest single benefit will be that of fire protection. In view of the fact that the exchanges would be mutually beneficial to the Government and the private owners, this department approves of the passage of the bill and recommends that your committee give it favorable consideration. Very truly, yours, D. F. HOUSTON, Secretary. 64TH CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 1st Session. PURCHASE OF PUBLIC LANDS FOR PARK PURPOSES, SALIDA, COLO. APRIL 13, 1916.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. TAYLOR of Colorado, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 21.] The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 21) authorizing the city of Salida, Colo., to purchase certain lands for public park purposes, having had the same under consideration, respectfully recommend that it be amended as follows: Page 1, line 4, after the word " years," insert the word " from." Page 1, line 9, beginning with the word "all," strike out the remainder of that line and all of lines 10 and 11, and the words " acres more or less and " in line 12. Page 2, line 7, after the word " patent," insert the words " shall be." Page 2, line 8, beginning with the word "subject," strike out the remainder of that line and all of line 9. Page 2, line 10, before the word "that," insert the word "Provided," and strike out the word "grant" in same line and insert in lieu thereof the word "conveyance." Same line strike out the word "made," and insert in lieu thereof the word "authorized." Page 2, line 13, after the word "Provided," insert the word "further." And that so amended the bill do pass. This bill was referred to the Interior Department for report, and the Secretary reported thereon as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Hon. SCOTT FERRIS, Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. FERRIS: I am in receipt of your letter of December 15, 1915, submitting for report H. R. 21, a bill "Authorizing the city of Salida, Colo., to purchase certain public lands for public park purposes," and in response thereto I have the honor to herewith submit the following report: H R-64-1-vol 2—24 |