Proclamation 602—Enlargement of the Little Belt Forest Reserve, Montana

Whereas, the Little Belt Mountains Forest Reserve, in the State of Montana, was established by proclamation dated August sixteenth, nineteen hundred and two, under and by virtue of section twenty-four of the Act of Congress, approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, entitled, "An act to repeal timber-culture laws, and for other purposes", which provides, "That the President of the United States may, from time to time, set apart and reserve, in any State or Territory having public land bearing forests, in any part of the public lands wholly or in part covered with timber or undergrowth, whether of commercial value or not, as public reservations, and the President shall, by public proclamation, declare the establishment of such reservations and the limits thereof";

And Whereas, it is further provided by the Act of Congress, proved June fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, entitled, "An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and for other purposes", that "the President is hereby authorized at any time to modify any Executive order that has been or may hereafter be made establishing any forest reserve, and by such modification may reduce the area or change the boundary lines of such reserve, or may vacate altogether any order creating such reserve";

And Whereas, it appears that the public good would be promoted by adding to the said forest reserve certain lands, within the State of Montana, which are in part covered with timber;

Now, Therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested by the aforesaid act of Congress, approved June fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, do hereby make known and proclaim that the aforesaid Little Belt Mountains Forest Reserve is hereby enlarged to include the said additional lands, and that the boundaries of the reserve are, accordingly, changed to read as follows:

Beginning at the north-east corner of Township fifteen (15) North, Range ten (10) East, Principal Meridian, Montana; thence southerly to the south-west corner of Township fifteen (15) North, Range eleven (11) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section four (4), Township fourteen (14) North, Range eleven (11) East; thence southerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Township thirteen (13) North, Range eleven (11) East; thence southerly, allowing for the offset on the Third (3rd) Standard Parallel North, to the south-west corner of Township twelve (12) North, Range twelve (12) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Township eleven (11) North, Range thirteen (13) East; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Township ten (10) North, Range thirteen (13) East; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Township ten (10) North, Range ten (10) East; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Township ten (10) North, Range nine (9) East; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township eleven (11) North, Range nine (9) East; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section four (4), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Township twelve (12) North, Range nine (9) East; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Township twelve (12) North, Range eight (8) East; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section thirty-four (34), Township thirteen (13) North, Range eight (8) East; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section twenty-one (21), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section eighteen (18), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Township fifteen (15) North, Range eight (8) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Township fifteen (15) North, Range ten (10) East, the place of beginning;

And further beginning at the south-west corner of Section six (6), Township seven (7) North, Range eight (8) East, Principal Meridian, Montana; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section thirty-six (36), Township eight (8) North, Range seven (7) East; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section twenty-five (25), said township; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section twenty-six (26), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section twenty-three (23), said township; thence northerly, allowing for the offset on the Second (2nd) Standard Parallel North, to the north-west corner of Section twenty-six (26), Township nine (9) North, Range seven (7) East; thence easterly to the south-east corner of Section twenty-three (23), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section twenty-four (24), said township; thence easterly to the south-east corner of Section thirteen (13), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section seven (7), Township nine (9) North, Range eight (8) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section eight (8), said township; thence southerly to the south-west corner of Section nine (9), said township; thence easterly to the south-east corner of Section twelve (12), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Township nine (9) North, Range nine (9) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section four (4), said township; thence southerly to the south-west corner of Section three (3), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section ten (10), said township; thence southerly to the south-west corner of Section fourteen (14), said township; thence easterly to the south-east corner of Section thirteen (13), said township; thence northerly to the north-west corner of Section eighteen (18), Township nine (9) North, Range ten (10) East; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section seventeen (17), said township; thence southerly to the south-west corner of Section sixteen (16), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section twenty-two (22), said township; thence southerly to the South-west corner of Section thirty-five (35), said township; thence easterly to the north-east corner of Section two (2), Township eight (8) North, Range ten (10) East; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section eleven (11), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section ten (10), said township; thence northerly of the north-east corner of Section nine (9), said township; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section four (4), said township; thence northerly to the north-east corner of Section five (5), said township; thence westerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), Township eight (8) North, Range nine (9) East; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section nine (9), said township; thence westerly to the north-west corner of Section eighteen (18), said township; thence southerly to the south-east corner of Section thirteen (13), Township eight (8) North, Range eight (8) East; thence westerly to the north-west corner of Section twenty-four (24), said township; thence southerly to the north-east corner of Section thirty-five (35), said township; thence westerly to the north-west corner of said section; thence southerly to the south-west corner of said section; thence westerly to the north-west corner of Section three (3), Township seven (7) North, Range eight (8) East; thence southerly to the south-west corner of said section; thence westerly to the south-west corner of Section six (6), said township, the place beginning;

Such of the above-named corners as have not been established by the official surveys being intended to be located at the points where such corners would fall in projecting the surveys in the directions indicated without allowing for any irregularities which may occur in actually extending the surveys;

Excepting from the force and effect of this proclamation all lands which may have been, prior to the date hereof, embraced in any legal entry or covered by any lawful filing duly of record in the proper United States Land Office, or upon which any valid settlement has been made pursuant to law, and the statutory period within which to make entry or filing of record has not expired: Provided, that this exception shall not continue to apply to any particular tract of land unless the entryman, settler or claimant continues to comply with the law under which the entry, filing or settlement was made.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all persons not to make settlement upon the lands reserved by this proclamation.

This reservation shall be known hereafter as the Little Belt Forest Reserve.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington this 3d day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and five, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and thirtieth.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

By the President:

ELIHU ROOT,

Secretary of State .