OFFICE OF THE ACTING SUPERINTENDENT,
Mancos, Colo., August 3, 1911.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the management of the Mesa Verde National Park, for the year ended June 30, 1911.

GENERAL STATEMENT.

This park was established by act of Congress approved June 29, 1906 (34 Stat., 616). It is situated in the extreme southwestern portion of the State of Colorado, in the county of Montezuma, and embraces an area of 66.2 square miles (42,376 acres). The park is under the control of the Secretary of the Interior, who, in pursuance of legal authority, has prescribed rules and regulations for the administration thereof.

CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.

The principal geographic features of the park are the Rio Mancos, which cuts through it from northeast to southwest, forming a canyon from 1,000 to 2,000 feet in depth, and the Mesa Verde proper, which lies on both sides of this gorge, mostly on the northwestern side. The mesa is cut in shreds by narrow lateral canyons of great beauty which present successions of huge promontories, sculptured ledges and bold and jagged cliffs. The Navajo, Ruin, Moccasin, and Ute Canyons are the principal ones which enter the Mancos from the north, with tributary canyons known as Garfield, Prater, Fewkes, Soda, and many others. These furnish the labyrinth of cliffs in the high and almost inaccessible recesses in which are found the abandoned homes of the ancient inhabitants. Fort Lewis, Grass, and Weber canyons enter the Mancos from the east, and these also contain many ancient ruins.

The altitude of the park is approximately 7,000 feet, the highest elevation being Point Lookout, on the northern rim, which, according to recent measurements of the United States Geological Survey, is 8,400 feet above sea level. The table-land slopes southward.

LOCATION AND CHARACTER OF THE RUINS.

Within the jurisdiction of the park are approximately 400 ruins of the type known as "Cliff Dwellings" and "Ancient Pueblos." These comprise by far the most remarkable group of ancient structures in the United States. For the protection and preservation of these invaluable remains of antiquity the Mesa Verde National Park was established.

The principal and most accessible ruins are the Spruce Tree House, located near the head of Navajo Canyon, the Cliff Palace, about 2 miles east of Spruce Tree House, located in branch of Cliff Canyon and reputed to be one of the most famous works of prehistoric man in existence, and Balcony House, a mile east of the Cliff Palace, in Cliff Canyon. The United States Geological Survey has nearly completed a topographical map of the park, which, when finished, will give the exact location of each ruin of importance in the reservation.

CUSTODIANSHIP.

The custodianship of the park is delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to the superintendent, whose offices are maintained in Mancos, Colo., the nearest town to the park having railroad facilities. The superintendent is assisted in the discharge of his duties by park rangers, who act as guides for tourists and police the park.

Mr. Hans M. Randolph, former superintendent of the park, severed his connection with the service April 19, 1911, and under designation by the Secretary of the Interior I entered on duty as acting superintendent of the reservation May 13, 1911.

ORDER.

A high standard of order has been maintained in the park since it became a Federal reservation. Prior to that time many of the cliff dwellings were broken into by tourists and curiosity seekers in search of pottery, arrowheads, and other relics of the ancient inhabitants.

MOVEMENTS OF STOCK.

Cattle and sheep belonging to owners of patented claims upon the mesa have been moved up from the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and other points in the valleys to the summer range on the mesa. The park contains excellent grazing tracts, and under the provisions of the act of Congress approved June 25, 1910, providing for the development of the resources of the park, grazing permits have been issued by the department at reasonable rates, for this pasturage. The proceeds will be turned into the Treasury, as provided by the legislation mentioned.

ROADS AND TRAILS.

During the past year the main wagon-road construction, under the direction of my predecessor, was completed to station No. 166, about 3-1/2 miles from Point Lookout. On May 6, 1911, under instructions from the department, proposals were asked for the construction of additional road and the cleaning out and repair of the constructed road. Bids were opened June 2, 1911, and the road-work contract awarded to Mr. Nathaniel A. Decker, of Mancos, the lowest bidder. This contract provides for further road construction from station 166 to station 343, following the line of survey heretofore run. The contractor is now actively engaged upon the undertaking, and it is expected that the portion under contract will be finished by the close of the present summer.

The equipment purchased by the Government for the maintenance of a road camp, together with all machinery and tools owned by the Government and used in previous years on the road work, has been turned over to the contractor for his use on the work, in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Upon the completion of that portion of the road now under contract, there will remain to be constructed, in order to connect with that portion heretofore built northward from Spruce Tree House 6 miles 700 feet along the line of the Mills survey. The cost of this latter work has been estimated at $6,900. Upon the completion of this work, the entire route to the ruins will be traversable by wagons. The road heretofore constructed, however, from the base of Point Lookout to Praters Canyon, which portion is cut into the steep and precipitous sides of the mesa through soft soil, shale, and sandrock, must be widened and surfaced with crushed rock to make the same solid and safe for tourist travel. The insecure foundation of the present roadbed between these points permits slides and caving in rainy seasons, necessitating continuous repair work to make it passable. It must be borne in mind that this highway ascends to a great height, the steep rim rock of the mesa towering for hundreds of feet above on the inside, with an abrupt and nearly perpendicular descent of a thousand feet or more on the outside rim. If the park is to be developed in such a manner that a heavy influx of tourists and visitors is to be reasonably expected, this road must be put in such condition that vehicles of all descriptions, including coaches and automobiles, may traverse it with safety. In addition to the widening and surfacing above mentioned, all threatening rock and earth formations on the heights above the road should be blown out and removed. When this is done, the Mesa Verde National Park will contain a safe and substantial road, and a scenic highway of remarkable beauty, which will open the door, so long locked by the fastnesses of the wilderness, to the mystic and fascinating country of the cliff dwellers.

WATER SUPPLY.

The springs at Spruce Tree and Balcony houses yield a supply of excellent water sufficient for present needs, but a further water supply must be developed at the ruins to meet the increased travel which will undoubtedly follow the completion of the main wagon road. A geological examination should be made with a view to developing artesian water to meet the future demand. Wells have been dug and windmills constructed in Prater and Ruin canyons along the line of survey of the road, and these should supply the water needed during the building of the highway and supply the needs of tourists en route to the ruins.

TRAVEL.

During the past year 206 visitors have registered at Spruce Tree House camp. No heavy traffic can be reasonably anticipated until the wagon road is finished, as the present horseback trip necessarily involved in the journey to the ruins deters many who, by reason of age, infirmity, or lack of physical stamina, are wholly unable to undergo the strain of the trip over the rough mountain trails.

EXCAVATION AND REPAIR.

The work of excavation and repair on Cliff Palace and Spruce Tree House under Federal appropriations has been completed, and further work along these lines on other ruins will be deferred until the wagon road is constructed, the latter being regarded as the most urgent need of the park.

During the fall of 1910, Prof. Edgar L. Hewett, director of the School of American Archaeology, Archaeological Institute of America, in conjunction with Mr. Nusbaum, constructor of the institution, made a preliminary study of the conditions of the Balcony House, which showed that the work of excavating would be comparatively small, but that the work necessary to preserve the remaining walls from further deterioration would be very difficult. It was found that the principal remaining walls of the Balcony House had been badly shattered and weakened by shocks occasioned by stone falling from the roof of the cavern, as well as by the operations of vandals in years past. These gentlemen, after fully considering the condition of these walls, deemed it best to secure the services of a consulting constructor and an expert stonemason before proceeding with the work. It was not their purpose to attempt to do more in the way of restoration than was absolutely necessary to prevent further deterioration. For the preservation of the walls that were found to be in a dangerous condition, the constructors agreed upon a system of supports by means of angle irons, which, while probably slightly out of place in connection with ruins of this character, would make the walls as secure as would anything else.

The work of repairs on Balcony House was made possible through the setting aside by the Colorado Cliff Dwellers' Association, of which Mrs. Virginia McClurg is regent general, the sum of $1,000, which this department augmented by the allotment of $500 from the park appropriation. A detailed report of this work, it is understood, will be published by the American Institute of Archaeology.

LANDS.

The negotiations with the Southern Ute Indians looking to an exchange of lands whereby the United States is to acquire title to that portion of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation containing the preistoric ruins of importance, in exchange for grazing lands suitable to the Indians, were concluded during the past year. A treaty has been negotiated with the Southern Utes, a majority of the Indians signing the same, whereunder the Government takes the following-described land:

Beginning on the range line between ranges 14 and 15 west, in township 34-1/2 north, where the same intersects the north boundary of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation; thence due south 3 miles and 60 chains to the southeast corner; thence due west 5 miles and 40 chains to the southwest corner; thence due north 3 miles and 60 chains to the intersection of the north boundary of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation; thence due east 5 miles and 40 chains along the said north boundary of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation to the northeast corner and place of beginning, containing 12,760 acres.

For this tract the Government has agreed to give the Indians a tract lying west of the present park 2-1/2 miles north and south and 4 miles east and west, containing about 6,000 acres, and a second tract in townships 34-1/2 and 35 north, range 17 west, lying along the old reservation line and just south of the Ute Mountain, containing about 19,000 acres.

The provisions of this treaty will be carried into effect upon its ratification by Congress.

No unperfected entries within the park now remain. The patented holdings therein are as follows:

Patented holdings in Mesa Verde National Park.
[All in T. 35 N., R. 14 W., N. M. P. M.]

The entire area of the park is under coal withdrawal by Executive order of July 7, 1910.

DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES.

By a provision of the urgent deficiency act of June 25, 1910 (contained in an excerpt set out in the appendix to this report) the Secretary of the Interior is empowered to grant leases and permits for the development of the natural resources of the Mesa Verde National Park, the funds derived therefrom to be covered into the Treasury of the United States.

Pursuant thereto, on January 21 and 23, 1911, coal-mining leases were entered into by the Government, with William John Jordan and George S. Todd, respectively, of Cortez, Colo., covering certain tracts in the western portion of the park. These leases, which are identical, provide in substance for coal mining at a royalty of 10 cents per ton per mine run, the lessees paying as advance royalty the sum of $50 each for the first year and $100 each annually for succeeding years, the term of the leases being six years.

Since the making of the above leases the mine opened by Mr. Todd has been supplying the town of Cortez, the county seat of Montezuma County, with fuel. An opening has been made in the rim rock of the mesa, approximately 2,200 feet above the Cortez Plain, and the coal taken out is of good quality; 260 tons have been produced from this mine up to July 1, 1911.

The tract covered by the Jordan lease has not as yet produced coal in merchantable quantities, but such production is to be reasonably anticipated upon the completion of the mine road now under construction by Mr. Jordan and the installation of a tramway, for which negotiations are being made by the lessee.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

BOUNDARIES.

In view of the consummation of the recent treaty with the Utes, and in the event of its ratification by Congress, whereunder the Government will acquire jurisdiction over the tract embracing the most notable and important ruins, I recommend that Federal control over the 5-mile strip surrounding the park be relinquished, as this territory contains no ruins of magnitude or unusual importance, and it is wholly impossible to properly police the same with the present limited ranger force.

ROAD BUILDING.

I most earnestly recommend that every effort be put forth to secure an appropriation sufficient to complete the main wagon road above mentioned and to widen, repair, and surface that portion heretofore constructed. The completion of this highway is imperatively necessary to make the cliff dwellings accessible to the general public. The amount requested in the estimates embodied herein is not believed to be excessive, but entirely justified by the value and importance of this reservation.

BUILDINGS.

I renew prior recommendations that a suitable building be constructed at Spruce Tree House which will serve as a headquarters for the proper supervision of the ruins and, if necessary, for the accommodation of travelers. At the present time visitors are housed in tents, which, though comfortable and sufficient for present needs, will probably be inadequate to accommodate the increased travel which the future development of the park will bring. The house when built should be connected by telephone with Mancos. This will involve the construction of approximately 15 miles of telephone line to connect with the line on the Mancos-Cortez highway at or near Point Lookout. This work has been estimated at $125 a mile.

PRIVATE HOLDINGS.

It is again recommended that as soon as appropriations for such purpose can be secured, all private holdings be eliminated by purchase. The presence of these holdings, however, has in no way embarrassed the administration of the park and this matter may well be deferred until the more pressing needs of the park are satisfied.

ESTIMATES.

I have the honor to recommend that an appropriation covering the following amounts, be requested of Congress for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913:

Very respectfully,

RICHARD WRIGHT,
Acting Superintendent.

ACT OF JUNE 29, 1906(34 STAT., 616), CREATING THE MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby reserved from settlement, entry, sale, or other disposal, and set apart as a public reservation, all those certain tracts, pieces, and parcels of land lying and, being situate in the State of Colorado, and within the boundaries particularly described as follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of section twenty-seven, township thirty-five north, range sixteen west, New Mexico principal meridian; thence easterly along the section lines to the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section twenty, township thirty-five north, range fifteen west; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of section twenty-one, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section sixteen, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section fifteen, said township; thence southerly to the southeast corner of said section; thence easterly to the southwest corner of section thirteen, said township; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section seven, township thirty-five north, range fourteen west; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section six, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section four, said township; thence southerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section nine, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence southerly to the northwest corner of section twenty-two, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence southerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence southerly to the northwest quarter of section twenty-six, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence southerly to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section thirty-five, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of section two, township thirty-four north, range fourteen west; thence southerly along the section line between sections one and two and between sections eleven and twelve to the northern boundary of the southern Ute Indian Reservation; thence westerly along the northern boundary of said reservation to the center of section nine, township thirty-four north, range sixteen west; thence northerly along the quarter-section lines to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section twenty-eight, township thirty-five north, range sixteen west; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of section twenty-seven, said township, the place of beginning.

SEC. 2. That said public park shall be known as the Mesa Verde National Park, and shall be under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it shall be to prescribe such rules and regulations and establish such service as he may deem necessary for the care and management of the same. Such regulations shall provide specifically for the preservation from injury or spoliation of the ruins and other works and relics of prehistoric or primitive man within said park: Provided, That all prehistoric ruins that are situated within five miles of the boundaries of said park, as herein described on Indian lands and not on lands alienated by patent from the ownership of the United States, are hereby placed under the custodianship of the Secretary of the Interior, and shall be administered by the same service that is established for the custodianship of the park.

SEC. 3. That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized to permit examinations, excavations, and other gathering of objects of interest within said park by any person or persons whom he may deem properly qualified to conduct such examinations, excavations, or gatherings, subject to such rules and regulations as he may prescribe: Provided always, That the examinations, excavations, and gatherings are undertaken only for the benefit of some reputable museum, university, college, or other recognized scientific or educational institution, with a view to increasing the knowledge of such objects and aiding the general advancement of archaeological science.

SEC. 4. That any person or persons who may otherwise in an manner willfully remove, disturb, destroy, or molest any of the ruins, mounds, buildings, graves, relics, or other evidences of an ancient civilization or other property from said park shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction before any court having jurisdiction of such offenses shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than twelve months, or such person or persons may be fined and imprisoned, at the discretion of the judge, and shall be required to restore the property disturbed, if possible.

RULES AND REGULATIONS.

General Regulations of March 19, 1908.

Pursuant to authority conferred by the act of Congress approved June 29, 1906, the following rules and regulations for the government of the Mesa Verde National Park, in Colorado, are hereby established, and made public and extended as far as applicable to all prehistoric ruins situated within 5 miles of the boundaries thereof on Indian and public lands not alienated by patent from the ownership of the United States:

1. It is forbidden to injure or disturb, except as herein provided, any of the mineral deposits, natural curiosities, wonders, ruins, and other works and relics of prehistoric or primitive man, on Government lands within the park or the ruins, and other works or relics of prehistoric man on Government lands within 5 miles of the boundaries of the park.

2. Permits for the examination of ruins, the excavation of archaeological sites, and the getting of objects of antiquity will, upon application to the Secretary of the Interior through the superintendent of the park, be granted to accredited representatives of reputable museums, universities, colleges, or other recognized scientific or educational institutions, with a view to increasing the knowledge of such objects and aiding the general advancement of archaeological science, under the conditions and restrictions contained in present or future regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the provisions of the act of Congress approved June 8, 1906, entitled "An act for the preservation of American antiquities."

3. Persons bearing archaeological permits from the department may be permitted to enter the ruins unaccompanied after presenting their credentials to the superintendent or other park officer. Persons without archaeological permits who wish to visit and enter the ruins shall in all cases be accompanied by a park ranger or other person duly authorized by the superintendent.

4. The superintendent is authorized, in his discretion, to close any ruin on Government lands within the park or the 5-mile limit to visitors when it shall appear to him that entrance thereto would be dangerous to visitors or might result in injury to walls or other insecure portions thereof, or during repairs.

5. The superintendent is authorized, in his discretion, to designate the place or places to be used by campers in the park and where firewood can be obtained by them. All garbage and refuse must be deposited in places where it will not be offensive to the eye or contaminate any water supply on the park lands.

6. It is forbidden to cut or injure any timber growing on the park lands, except as provided in paragraph 5 of these regulations but dead or fallen timber may be taken by campers for fuel without obtaining permission therefor.

7. Fires should be lighted only when necessary and completely extinguished when not longer required. The utmost care must be taken at all times to avoid setting fire to the timber and grass.

8. Hunting or killing, wounding or capturing, any bird or wild animal on the park lands, except dangerous animals when necessary to prevent them from destroying life or inflicting an injury, is prohibited. The outfits, including guns, traps, teams, horses, or means of transportation used by persons engaged in hunting, killing, trapping, ensnaring, or capturing such birds or wild animals, or in possession of game killed on the park lands under other circumstances than those prescribed above, will be taken up by the superintendent and held subject to the order of the Secretary of the Interior, except in cases where it is shown by satisfactory evidence that the outfit is not the property of the person or persons violating this regulation and the actual owner thereof was not a party to such violation. Firearms will be permitted in the park only on written permission from the superintendent.

9. No person shall be permitted to reside permanently or to engage in any business on the Government lands in the park without permission, in writing, from the Secretary of the Interior. The superintendent may grant authority to competent persons, to act as guides and revoke the same in his discretion, and no pack trains will be allowed in the park unless in charge of a duly registered guide.

10. Owners of patented lands within the park limits are entitled to the full use and enjoyment thereof; such lands, however, shall have the metes and bounds thereof so marked and defined as to be readily distinguished from the park lands. Stock may be taken over the park lands to patented lands with the written permission and under the supervision of the superintendent.

11. The herding or grazing of loose stock or cattle of any kind on the Government lands within the park, as well as the driving of such stock or cattle over the same, is strictly forbidden, except in such cases where authority therefor is granted by the superintendent.

12. The sale of intoxicating liquors on the Government lands in the park is strictly forbidden.

13. Private notices or advertisements shall not be posted or displayed on the Government lands within the park, nor upon or about ruins or Government lands within the 5-mile strip surrounding the same, except such as may be necessary for the convenience and guidance of the public.

14. Persons who render themselves obnoxious by disorderly conduct or bad behavior, or who may violate any of the foregoing rules, will be summarily removed from the park and will not be allowed to return without permission, in writing, from the Secretary of the Interior or the superintendent of the park.

15. The act creating the park provides that any person or persons who may, without having secured proper permission from the Secretary of the Interior, willfully remove, disturb, destroy, or molest any of the ruins, mounds, buildings, graves, relics, or other evidences of an ancient civilization or other property in said park shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction before any court having jurisdiction of such offenses shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than twelve months, or such person or persons may be fined and imprisoned, at the discretion of the court, and shall be required to restore the property destroyed, if possible.

Any person or persons guilty of such vandalism upon Government land within the 5-mile strip will be liable to a penalty of $500 or imprisonment of not more than ninety days, or both, in the discretion of the court, as provided in the act of Congress approved June 8, 1906, entitled "An act for the preservation of American antiquities."

16. The superintendent designated by the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to remove all trespassers from the Government lands in the park and to enforce these rules and regulations and all the provisions of the act of Congress creating the same.

The Indian police and field employees of the General Land Office are required to cooperate with the superintendent in the enforcement of these regulations as regards the 5-mile strip surrounding the park.

Regulations of March 19, 1908, Governing the Impounding and Disposition of Loose Live Stock.

Horses, cattle, or other domestic live stock running at large or being herded or grazed on the Government lands in the Mesa Verde National Park without authority from the superintendent of the park will be taken up and impounded by the superintendent, who will at once give notice thereof to the owner, if known. If the owner is not known, notice of such impounding, giving a description of the animal or animals, with the brands thereon, will be posted in six public places inside the park and in two public places outside the park.

Any owner of an animal thus impounded may at any time before the sale thereof, reclaim the same upon proving ownership and paying the cost of notice and all expenses incident to the taking up and detention of such animal, including the cost of feeding and caring for the same. If any animal thus impounded should not he reclaimed within 30 days from notice to the owner or from the date of posting notices, it shall be sold at public auction at such time and place as may be fixed by the superintendent after 10 days' notice, to be given by posting notices in six places in the park and two public places outside of the park, and by mailing to the owner, if known, a copy thereof.

All money received from the sale of such animals and remaining after the payment of all expenses incident to the taking up, impounding, and selling thereof shall be carefully retained by the superintendent in a separate fund for a period of six months during which time the net proceeds from the sale of any animal may be claimed by and paid to the owner upon the presentation of satisfactory proof of ownership; and if not so claimed within six mouths from the date of sale, such proceeds shall be turned into the Mesa Verde National Park fund.

The superintendent shall keep a record in which shall be set down a description of all animals impounded, giving the brands found on them, the date and locality of the taking up, the date of all notices and manner in which they were given, the date of sale and the name and address of the purchaser, the amount for which each animal was sold and the cost incurred in connection therewith, and the disposition of the proceeds.

The superintendent shall in each instance make every reasonable effort to ascertain the owner of animals impounded and give actual notice thereof to such owner.

PUNISHMENT FOR DEPREDATIONS AND FOR NOT EXTINGUISHING FIRES ON PUBLIC LANDS, ETC.

[Excerpt from an act entitled "An act to provide for determining the heir, of deceased Indians, for the disposition and sale of allotments of deceased Indians, for leasing of allotments, and for other purposes," approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 857).]

SEC. 6. That section fifty of the act entitled "An act to codify, revise, and amend the penal laws of the United States," approved March fourth, ninteen hundred and nine (Thirty-fifth United States Statutes at Large, page one thousand and ninety eight), is hereby amended so as to read:

SEC. 50. Whoever shall unlawfully cut, or aid in unlawfully cutting, or shall wantonly injure or destroy, or procure to be wantonly injured or destroyed, any tree, growing, standing, or being upon any land of the United States which, in pursuance of law, has been reserved or purchased by the United States for any public use, or upon any Indian reservation or lands belonging to or occupied by any tribe of Indians under the authority of the United States, or any Indian allotment while the title to the same shall be held in trust by the Government, or while the same shall remain inalienable by the allottee without the consent of the United States, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

That section fifty-three of said act is hereby amended so as to read:

SEC. 53. Whoever shall build a fire in or near any forest, timber, or other inflammable material, upon the public domain, or upon any Indian reservation, or lands belonging to or occupied by any tribe of Indians under the authority of the United States, or upon any Indian allotment while the title to the same shall be held in trust by the Government, or while the same shall remain inalienable by the allottee without the consent of the United States, shall, before leaving said fire, totally extinguish the same; and whoever shall fail to do so shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

EXCERPT FROM THE DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION ACT APPROVED JUNE 25, 1910.

The Secretary of the Interior may, upon terms and conditions to be fixed by him, grant leases and permits for the use of the land or development of the resources thereof in the Mesa Verde National Park, and the funds derived therefrom shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States: Provided, That such leases or grants shall not include any of the prehistoric ruins in said park or exclude the public from free or convenient access thereto; for necessary expenses hereunder there is appropriated the sum of two thousand dollars, to continue available during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and eleven.

EXCERPT FROM ACT OF MARCH 4, 1911, MAKING APPROPRIATION FOR MESA VERDE PARK FOR FISCAL YEAR 1912.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado: For protection and improvement of Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, including the lands within five miles of the boundaries of said reservation, which under the act of June twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and six, are to be administered by the same service established for the custodianship of the park, seven thousand five hundred dollars.