The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-28
REcL LINING rnE DnsnRrs.



The designs and fruits of the Desert Land
bill. which was pushed through Congress in the
hcltcr-skcltcr Of the closing hours. are develop
ing Themselves in startling manner. The
ostcnsiblc intent " this measure WINS the rccla-
nation Of large areas OF land in this State. Ne
vada and Oregon, and in the Territories Of
Washington. Idaho. Montana. Utah, Wyoming
Arizona. New Mexico and Dakota. for agricul-
trral purposes 10y means Of irrigation. and. 10y
those concerned in engineering 1t through. it
was lludcd rs one Of the most important pro-
jccts that had ever been conceived for accelerate
ing the progress and enhancing the general
wealth of the Pacific SLOPE
The provisions of the bin mny thus he briefly
suiumarlNd; Any person may take up Gao
acres of land, or a. much less ~ his convenience
may dictate. on payment OF twenty five cents
per acre, and making his declaration under
oath that he intends to reclaim such land by
irrigation. A preliminary 10 the filing of such
declaration. 1t must be sat sfactorily shown to
the register and receiver Of the district that the
land therein i scribcd is desert land not hav-
Ing either timber or mineral deposits thereon,
and incapable of producing any agricultural
crop without the means of irrigation. IL IL also
compulsory upon the applicant for the land
grant to show in the same manner that he has
secured the necessary winter right for eifectng
the irrigation Of the land. At any time before
the expiration OF three years from the date Of
filing the declaration. upon making satisiac-
tory proof To the register and receiver Of the
reclamation Of the land taken. and the payment
81 an additional sum Of 81 per acre, patent
shall issue therefor.
The act is loosely constructed and contains n
few ingenious lOopholcs arranged with evident
design by the trainers " tho bill. and for the
special advantage of those who were NJ the bot
tom II the scheme. II Is now manifest that the
reclamation of deserts ~ originally contem-
plated pertains 10 This state. aud that the Irrri
tories were admitted To- the loneliccnt privileges
Of the AZ in spirit ~ charitable court ~.
Immediately on notification being received OF
the approval ~ the Desert Reclamation at. the
business 81 -natching deserts WIS begun on
Gigantic scale. aud strangely enough the seat OF
iuitiatorv operations was in Kern county. In
this county is situated much 81 the most pro-
luctive and fertile land in the state. but i'm con-
sequence of an unusually dry season 1t has
stood in need of irrigation, and thereby has
every locality throughout tn" county where
titles to land had not been perfected. About u
w,rk after noti 'atlun was received at the md
Onlc" declarations ui intention to- reclaim iully
10000 acres Of this garden land OF tn" state
werr fled. and on the l9th of this month the
desert grnh IN Kern county had reached the
enormous extent Of jOOpO acres.
II may be- added that all the odd sections
granted 70 the southern Pacific Railroad Com
pnny hy the Government through Kern county.
have boon purchased hy W. u. Carr. J. Is. llaE-
taking in all the Intervening Srction- or such
parts as have not vet bccn secured IN tilc to a.
tugl settlers presumably IN the int r"st oi the
persons named. The desert land thus beng
seizsd had heretofore been sold to settlers M tho
rate Of A. 10 per acre. and was being taken up
y rapidly AZ iaiii 10 any pth.r purt col the SlHi'
Many .ttl"rs who mad b II uuah" - perfect
their titles mm' diat"ly ~ th.uld rates. hut who
woui have quickly awaited themselves ~ th'
ruNilDg" Of paying - cents down. ana ihr a. 70
dtiunll dollar also. have been di~lu l-sod hy this
m"r'il"-- and N'raii0u- grab. which has come
utnn them uuaWar's. Thousands oft a'fuul
settlers WHO havo taken NJ lands and improved
them IN the Nisala and los Angeles districts
pre- doomed 10 be- swept from their homesteads
r. ilustraia ~" system ~ tho grab. n lis, of
declarations flied ON tue Jl-t of Mar 10 uni 2d ~
~ i, -Dri rr.lainrr- have declared Is IN f0r
tho r. .,lrr e. inter. after mentioning ths fact