Proclamation 416—Enlarging the Pecos River Forest Reserve in the Territory of New Mexico

Whereas it is provided by 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," "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, approved 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 the public lands in the Territory of New Mexico, within the limits hereinafter described, are in part covered with timber, and it appears that the public good would be promoted by setting apart and reserving said lands as a public reservation;

Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested by the aforesaid acts of Congress, do hereby make known and proclaim that the boundary lines of the Forest Reservation in the Territory of New Mexico, known as "The Pecos River Forest Reserve," created by proclamation of January eleventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-two, are hereby so changed and enlarged as to include all those certain tracts, pieces, or parcels of land lying and being situate in the Territory of New Mexico, and within the boundaries particularly described as follows, to wit:

Beginning at the southwest corner of Township seventeen (17) North, Range thirteen (13) East, New Mexico Principal Meridian, New Mexico; thence easterly along the Fourth (4th) Standard Parallel North, to its intersection with the west boundary line of the Las Vegas Grant; thence northerly along the west boundary lines of the Las Vegas and Mora Grants to the point of intersection with the southeast boundary line of the Rancho del Rio Grande Grant; thence along the boundary line of said grant in a southwesterly direction to the most southerly point thereof; thence southerly to the line of the Santa Barbary Grant; thence southeasterly and southerly to the southeast corner thereof; thence westerly along the south boundary line of said grant to the southwest corner thereof, and continuing westerly to the east boundary line of the Las Trampas Grant; thence in a general southwesterly direction following the boundary lines of the Las Trampas, Las Truchas, and San Fernando Santiago Grants to the point of intersection with the unsurveyed range line between Ranges ten (10) and eleven (11) East; thence southerly along the range line to the point for the southwest corner of Section eighteen (18), Fractional Township sixteen (16) North, Range eleven (11) East; thence easterly along the unsurveyed section line to the point for the southeast corner of Section thirteen (13), said township; thence northerly along the range line to the northeast corner of Township seventeen (17) North, Range eleven (11) East; thence easterly along the township line to the southeast corner of Township eighteen (18) North, Range twelve (12) East; thence southerly along the range line to the southwest corner of Township seventeen (17) North, Range thirteen (13) East, the place of beginning.

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; and all mining claims duly located and held according to the laws of the United States and rules and regulations not in conflict therewith;

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, settlement, or location was made.

Warning is hereby expressly given to all persons not to enter or make settlement upon the tract of land reserved by this proclamation.

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 27th day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-second.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY

By the President:

J. B. MOORE,

Acting Secretary of State.