The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-03-19
County and City Official Press.
Monday, March IS, 1877.
THE DESERT LAND BILL.

acres Of and lard by FecIaIaing the
same through irrigation, came up for
final action in the Senate. After pro-
:saciees debate and several amendments
tho bill passed The text Of the bill as
finally amended is as follows
Be IL e,,aeted, DE-, That the Secretary
Of the Interior Is authorized 20 cause
such public lands as are not adapted 10
agricultural purposes without irrigation.
to be surveyed from time to time. and
divided into tracts best adapted to the
settlement aud improvement Of the
cogntry, and not exceeding six hundred
ard forty acres each. and 10 offer the
: aanis for entry and sale as hereinafter
provided.
sgc. 2. That it shall be lawful for
any citizen of the United States, or any
person Of requisite age. " ho may be en-
titled to become citizen or who has
filed his declaration TO become such, on
the payment 81 twenty five cents per
acre. to file declaration under oath
with the register and receiver of the
land district in which any desert land
is situated that has been surveyed, that
he intends to reclaim tract thereof 10
i,e by him described according 10 the
survey, and not exceedinG one section
in legal subdivisions. hy conducting
water upon the same within the period
of three years thereafter: Py0csded, h0ic-
eser. That the person 50 conducting
water on or 10 any one tract Of desert
land Of six hundred aud forty acres
shall not acquire any exclusive right to
the use or water conducted TO sal tract
of desert land tor the purpose Of irriga-
ting the same beyond what shall be- &C
tually necessary for rcdeeming and cul-
tiSating the same ; bat the same and
fhc water in all lakes, rivers aud other
sources OF water supply shall remain
and be held for the use of the public for
purposes of irrigation and mining. At
any time within the period OF three
years after filing such declaration. upon
making satisfactory proof of the recla-
nation of said tract of land in the man
ner aforesaid. and upon payment to the
receiver of the sum Of 81 per acre for a
tract ot land not exceeding SIX hundred
snd forty acres to any one person.
patent for the same shall be issued TO
him: P,0ftfsd. That no person shall he
permittt ! either TO receive or acquire
title TO more than one section under this
act,
SEC. ). That all lands. exclusive of
timber lands. mineral lands, AMI graz
ing lands. which will not. without irr-
CATION. produce some agricultural crop.
shall be deemed desert lands within the
meaning Of tins act, which fact shall
be asoertaiued by the proof of two or
more credible witnesses under oath.
whose aiiidaviis shall be filed in the
land office of the district in which said
tract OF land may be situated
SEC. THAT this act shall only APP
ply 20 and take effect IN the States Of
California, Oregon aud Nevada, and the
Territories 1T Washington. Idaho, Mon
tana. Utah. Wyoming. Arizona. New
Mexico. and Dakota and the deter
mina.ion Of what may be considered
desert land shall be subject to the de
eision and regulation OF the Commits
sioncr of the General Land Office.
Ii may he Surmised that the scope Of
this bill is to benefit SPECTATORS and
land grabhers Of Il certain class more
directly than the impeounious immi-
grant and new beginner. Yet its terms
are oil guarded through the provisions
that only one section Of land may he
81 obtained. and that - cents per acre
mus. be paid in advance. aud the bal
ance (ot one dollar per acre. AZ the
end of the three years. In case Of lands
fayoTab.y situated with regard to flow
age. therefore. it need not require al
amount OF capital beyond the reach of
average farmers. generally. Its pass
age will. no doubt. tend 10 stimulate
the flew III capital Ia our un;imbcre,i
counties, ioF the purpose Of asaiiiug Of
the opportunity thus afforded. It viii,
moreover. be likely to effect wonder
fal aud most gratifying transformation
in the appearance and value Of those
now barren districts
Touching tia value Of the lands cm
braced in the pursiow OF the bin. Sena-
ter Ingalls, Of karsas, IN the course #
the debate SAIL
There Is practically very 3itiie deS-
eft land ia this country. The term
desert land. rs defined 10y the hill. Is
very delusive aud does very great IA
justice 10 tbs section # country 10
which. 1t IS applet. Experience has
shown that he region in the iutefier Of
this country. exclusive Of timber lands
aal mineral lAnls which, will But with
ou. irrigation pfoduee sou,e agricultural
crop, will s>on beconc, i; il Is net A.
scSdy. the most Valuable portion AZ the
uaoceupsci public domain, ian1 thar
contains 81! TIE chemical constituents
necessary IL produce s~gstas.on. that
by ,he application If water will pro-
lace vast crops, caanot properly be
called de cit land AL believe u Is
tho experience Il the Inhabitants ct the
rev States Of tie u est. Colorado. Csl-
stornia. Navads al opgoa, yhat '0ese
tracts af country which have hereto
tore l.seA reg ,a3c,t a. desert lands, stint
Fly by the application a. water tsyt
hseoaae the r}ast valuable poytton II
lis pehie domain
asa s7nAew hAt familiar With taiS
species % agriculture In tbs STATE O;
s@xge~s.zn Z. - - 49, ,sat -