Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-07
rag DESERT LAND BILL.

Following Is . copy az the psssrs
Land Bill passed. BY the House Of Rep
rsssststives and reported upon favora-
bly, By senator Booth from tho senate
Committee on Pa 3. IAsds:
A bill IN provide for the sais of desert
lands Ia certain Ststes aud Terrific
ries.
b. II enacted. etc.. That Il shall be
lawful for any citizen Of the United
states. or any person OF requisite age
" WIN may bo entitled ~ become eft
zen. and who has filed his declaration
To become SUCH" to file . declaration
with the register and the receiver Of
the land district In which any desert
land Is situated. that he intends to re-
ciaim tract Of desert land not exceed
Ing one section. by conducting water
upon the same, within the period Of
three years thereafter. Said declsrs.
ton shall describe particularly said
section OF land II surveyed, and. II un.
surveyed. shall describe the same ~
resriy as possible without survey. At
any time within the period OF three
years after filing said declaration. upon
making satisfactory proof Of the recia-
nation OF said tract OF land In the man.
ncr aforesaid, and upon the payment
TO the receiver Of tho sum Of one dol
lar and twenty five cents per acre for
q tract Of land not exceeding ts40 acres
To any one person, patent for the
same shall be issued to him.
SIC. 2. That all lands, exclusive of
Understands or mineral lands, which
will not, without irrigation, produce
some agricultural crop, shall DO deem
ed desert lands within the meaning OF
this Act.
SEC. 3 That this Act shall only ap.
ply 10 and take effect in the States OF
California, Oregon and Nevada, and
the Territories OF Washington. Idaho,
Montana, Utah, Wyoming, A rizona,
New Mexico and Dakota.
In tho course Of their report the
Committee set forth as follows:
Experience has shown that the
homestead aud presumption laws af-
lord no means OF acquiring title TO dcs-
ert lands. Those laws require settle
ment and occupation as 4 peruuisite.
Neither settlement nor occupation In
| possible without water. Irrigation
must precede the settlement. But this
In expensive, and settlers upon the
public lands are unwilling To construc,
tho necessary bitches and canals TO IT,
rigate lands to which they have no IT,
tie aud no certainty OF obtaining title.
IL has been suggested that these
lands DO sold in largo quantities In or.
der TO induce private capital TO under
take the work OF reclamation. Your
committee fear that any system Of sale
whereby the title would pass before
irrigation, would encourage specula-
ton without inducing settlement. The
bill provides for tho sale OF section Of
land to any person who will first irri.
gate the same, ut the usual price of ST.
= an acre. A more liberal policy has
been suggested Of granting lands, AMER
irrigation, without any money c0nsid
Grafton. But the committee believe
that when these lands are irrigated
they will DO OF sufficient value enable
the purchaser to pay the Government
price charged for other public lands.
Besides, tho quantity allowed will be
au additional inducement 10 settlers To
undertake tho work OF irrigation. AT
all events, II will DO time enough to
make donations Of these lands W hen Il
II asccrtained that settlers are unwill-
Ing to purchase them. II Is believed
that by far the larger portion OF the
lands bordering on the streams, where
sufficient moisture exists for cultiya.
ton, and where irrigation liz cheap aud
easy, have been appropriated, but the
provisions of this bill enable settlers
| by combined effort to construct more
extensive works and reclaim class of
| lands that are absolutely worthless.
| The Committee recommend the bill
| with more confidence than they would
DO willing TO express If its princi pies
were entirely new.
Under a law having in Wow tho OBJ
iec's sought to be obtained by this bill
great benefits might be obtained 10
settlers In this State. We know OF
nothing more worthy OF study by our
representatives In Congress than such
a measure as Is herein contem plated.
Indeed. all this State needs Is such
legislation or such something else ss
will mako its lands desirable, In order
to secure n rapid increase OF its popula.
ton and the speedy settlement OF It's
unoccupica arabic lands.