Proclamation 353—Setting Apart as a Public Reservation Certain Lands in the State of California

Whereas it is provided by section 24 of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1891, 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 the public lands in the State of California 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, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested by section 24 of the aforesaid act of Congress, do hereby make known and proclaim that there is hereby reserved from entry or settlement and set apart as a public reservation all those certain tracts, pieces, or parcels of land lying and being situate in the State of California and within the boundaries particularly described as follows, to wit:

Beginning at the northeast corner of section thirteen (13), township five (5) south, range six (6) west, of the San Bernardino base and meridian; thence westerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed section line to the point for the southwest corner of section ten (10), said township and range; thence northerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed section line to the northwest corner of section three (3), said township and range; thence westerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed township line to the point for the northwest corner of section three (3), township five (5) south, range seven (7) west; thence southerly along the surveyed and unsurveyed section line to the southeast corner of section thirty-three (33), said township and range; thence easterly along the surveyed and unsurveyed township line to the northeast corner of township six (6) south, range seven (7) west; thence southerly to the southwest corner of township five (5) south, range six (6) west; thence easterly to the point for the quarter-section corner on the north line of section six (6), township six (6) south, range six (6) west; thence southerly on a central line to the center of section nineteen (19), said township and range; thence easterly to the quarter-section corner on the east boundary of said section nineteen (19); thence southerly on the section line to the point of intersection with the north boundary of the "Rancho Mission Viejo or La Paz;" thence in a southeasterly direction along said boundary line to the point of intersection with the township line between townships six (6) and seven (7) south; thence easterly along said township line to the southeast corner of township six (6) south, range six (6) west; thence northerly along the range line between ranges five (5) and six (6) west to the northeast corner of section thirteen (13), township five (5) south, range six (6) west, 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 25th day of February, A.D. 1893, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and seventeenth.

BENJ. HARRISON

By the President

WILLIAM F. WHARTON,

Acting Secretary of State.