Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-10
ON THE SPOT.
The Kern County Californian" on sar.
gent and the Desert Land Ect
Kern County Californian, January 18th.

Kern County Californian, Jan uary It'll
Since it has become likely that ex-Sena.
tor Sargent will be Secretary of the In.
terror, some Eastern papers, seconded by
the San Francisco Chronicle, have taken
ground against him on account of bis
alleged connection with the authorship Of
the Desert Land Act. This Act provides
That it shall be lawful for any citizen OF
the United States, or any person OF requisite
age who may be entitled to become citi-
zen, and who has fled his declaration to
become such, and upon payment of twenty
FIVE cents per acre, to file declaration, I'M
der oath, with the Register and Receiver
of the land district in which any desert
land is situated, that he intends to reclaim
tract of desert land, not exceeding one
section, by conducting water upon the
same within the period of three years
thereafter. And desert lands are described
to be :" all lands, exclusive of timber lands
and mineral lands, which will not, with
out irrigation, produce some agricultural
crop shall be deemed desert lands, within
the meaning of this Act, which fact shall
be ascertained by proof of two or mo e
credible witnesses. under oath, whose at
fdavits shall be fled in the Land Office in
which said tract of land may be situated. Z"
These extracts convey sufficient idea Of
the law for our present object. The re-
naming provisions are for the purpose of
carrying it into effect and indicating where
it shall apply. The law is loosely worded,
and there is no doubt but that the most
extensive land. grabbing frauds might have
been perpetrated under it. At least this
was the view taken of it at the time it
came into force. and gave rise to such loud
complaints and opposition that it led to in.
vestigation, and the prevention of many
speculative operations, by causing the spirit
and meaning of the law from the govern
mental and popular standpoint to be
rigidly complied with. Hence the evils
that were anticipated have not, we believe,
occurred to any appreciable extent. But
we have not set out at this time to defend
the law (although as much can be said for
as against it), or its authors. In connec-
ton with these predatory remarks, neces-
sary to proper understanding of the SUBJ
ject, we shall do nothing more than allude
to what we regard as a very unfair article
in late Issue OF the San Francisco Chron-
icle. In attacking ex-senator Sargent for
v
Land Act, occasion is taken to refer to the
desert land entries controlled by MessTs.
Haggin & Carr, in this county, as a most
notorious and aggravated instance of grab
bing and fraud, overshadowing all others,
which the Senator's alleged legislative Ia
bors had paved the way for. This matter
was brought into great prominence at the
time, because it was believed they intended
to take advantage OF this elastic statute
merely for the purpose of acquiring
an extensive sheep range at nom-
inal price, a procedure clearly against
every consideration of public policy. The
lands in question were clearly desert, as
defined by the Act. They would produce
nothing but scanty crop of grass, with
out irrigation. But the fears of the public
were not justified. The event proved
that they were operating in good faith.
No one can be found in this vicinity, where
all the facts are known, who will not say
they have complied, in respect of reclama-
ton, in manner to entitle them to their
patents under the most strict construction
of the law. The desert land entries in
question have been put under the most
expensive and perfect irrigating system In
canal more than thirty miles in length by
an hundred feet in width, with flood and
sluice- gates involving the use of millions OF
feet of lumber, and distributing bitches
without number. A million and half OF
dollars and more have been applied to irri-
eating and improving these lands, and
probably half the contemplated or necessary
expenditure-th has been going on con-
tinuously-has not been made. Portions Of
them, to the extent CT several thousands Of
ACRES, have already, from their original
state OF utter worthlessness, been converted
into the most fertile and desirable farming
lands in the State. An immense taxable
valuation has been created, and an i'm.
provement effected that, in the ordinary
course of events, might not have come about
for century. The process of Irrigating
these lands has drained an immense swamp
that made the southwest half of the great
Tularc valley unhealthy, and greatly abated
the summer heats, formerly excessive.
To enumerate all the beneficial changes
wrought would occupy more space than
we have available. The simple truth is,
that Messrs. Haggin & Carr with the
design, OF course, of making money, as
we do not ascribe any specially benevo-
lent motive to them) have taken advan-
tage of the desert land law to engage in
the thorough reclamation of an immense
arid waste, of little or DO use to anyone,
converting it into the finest agricultural
land, suitable for almost every purpose,
that can be found on the coast, at an ex-
pense of such colossal proportions that il
seems more like Government undertaking
than one of private individuals. What has
already been done is constant source Of
pleasure, as well as establishment, to old
residents acquainted with the pre-. existing
state of things. The Chronicle has beer
very unfortunate, to say the least, in re.
ferring to the workings of the desert lane
law in this county for the purpose of in
juring Sargent. 1t is altogether probable
that it may not have been availed o.
in other places for honest, praiseworthy
purposes. But if this ia the best illustra
ton of it's evils that can be found, then thu
ex-senator should be ciassed as one of thu
most deserving OF our public men, worthy
e IL L L H. IS fha Il