PREFACE In 1883 the Department of the Interior began publication of the more important decisions of the Land Department with the view to preserving in authentic manner and in permanent form convenient for reference a line of consistent precedents in departmental rulings illustrating the land laws of the United States. Prior to that time the only published decisions of the Department were those by private reporters, the more familiarly known being Brainard, Copp, and Lester. As originally conceived, the publication entitled "Decisions of the Department of the Interior relating to the Public Lands," and thereafter referred to as the "Land Decisions," pertained almost exclusively to matters coming under the jurisdiction of the General Land Office and a few matters from the Indian Office. Gradually the jurisdiction of the Department has been enlarged by the creation of new bureaus, among them being the Bureau of Reclamation, the Geological Survey, and the National Park Service. Many new laws have been enacted and policies established relating to the Indians and Indian affairs. New and important problems in other bureaus and services are constantly arising and call for solution. Consequently, there has been an increasingly growing demand for the publication of decisions by the Secretary and his Assistant Secretaries and opinions by the Solicitor, relating to matters other than those pertaining to the public lands. On July 7, 1930, the Secretary issued an order amending the title so as to read "Decisions of the Department of the Interior," and directing that thereafter leading decisions and important opinions relating to all activities of the Department be published in future volumes. Including this volume, 57 volumes have been published covering the period from July 1881 to June 1942. Volumes 1 to 52 are referred to as the "Land Decisions" (L. D.). The abbreviation "I. D." when used in cited decisions of the Department and in the opinions of the Solicitor has reference to volume 53 and later volumes of this work. VII Administrative Division Conservation Division 4 Indian Division Law Library Legislative Division Mines Division Public Lands Division -EDITH A. MAHON, Administrative Assistant -WILLIAM H. FLANERY, Chief -HUBERTA A. PRINCE, Librarian -CHARLOTTE T. LLOYD, Chief Property Acquisition Division-THEODORE SPECTOR, Chief 5 -HARRY M. EDELSTEIN, Chief ASSISTANT SOLICITORS L. THOMPSON BENNETT MARIE BERGER OSCAR A. BERGREN JOSEPH T. BOWLING JOSEPH M. HERNON JAMES D. HILL PHINEAS INDRITZ JOHN B. JAGO BERNARD C. KAMERMAN THOMAS L. KARSTEN KARL E. LACHMANN 1 The period covered is March 1939 to June 1942. Resigned January 1941. 3 Vice John H. Thomas, retired. JAMES LANIGAN FRANCES E. LAVENDER SIDNEY MCCLELLAN JEAN MCMANUS KENNETH MEIKLEJOHN ROBERT F. MILLER H. BYRON MOCK JOHN B. MUSKAT BERNARD M. NEWBURG HALE POWER JACKSON E. PRICE GEORGE S. ROBINSON EZRA E. RODDIS ALLAN D. SANFORD, JR. WILLIAM SEAGLE HERBERT J. SLAUGHTER NEIL F. STULL GEORGE A. WARREN T. RICHARD WITMER FRED B. WOODARD A. BRUCE WRIGHT The Divisions were established in October 1939, with the exception of the Mines Division, established in November 1941. Vice Donald J. Chaney, resigned July 1940. IX |