Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-07-10

TIE bill amending the desert lsnC law provides that at the tune Of flini the declaration, the party shall also fil' map of the land entered, with aD ex
 hibi. of the plan and mode of the con. templsted irrigation, which must be capable Of irrigstIng sufficiently thorough to reclaim the land and pro duce ordinary agricultural crops, and mus. also show the source of the water supp'y. Persons entering separate sec | Id or fractional parts of sections may ussociGte ln the construction of canals and di;ches for irrigatinG and may file a joint map, or maps, showing the plan Of improvements. No lsnl will be psten- ted under this act unless the person en- tering It shall have expended n the work ,,oi necessary irrigation and i'm provements, at least three dollars per acre, one dollar thereof per acre each year for tares years, CT tine full sum Of three dollars may be eyFen- del in one year, If desired to hasten the t,me of fiusl entry, but oGe- eighth Of the lend entered must be un- der cultivation. Proof ct the yearly e1- perGitures must b, made and filed a. the land off @, a:;est-d by two or more credible witnesses, and failure to file this proof iorieits the advance payment and opens the land agaIn 10 entry. At any time within four years. when oil these conditions have been fulfilled, the claimant can perfect his claim by pay ing one dollar per acre, and receive 8 patent therefor. The act does not affect say entries made under laws in force previous to the present amendments.
 The other general provisions Of the net
 Of March 3i, 1877, shall govern all en- tries where they do not conflict with these amendments. IL will be observed
 that the patent will issue only to the
 party mskIng the claim, and no Rs- sigrment thereof is recognized,
 the object being 10 force what
 ever benefits are to acrGe from the
 redemption ot desert lands, out of the
 hands of sPecula,ors and capitalists,
 4hls object, however worthy, Is never fheiess R seriols obstacle to the recism-
 sil D of desert lands. The poor man is unable 10 develop the necessary water ll most instances, on account of the gFeat expense. He would willingly pay Tor and give away one-half or three tourths of the land to secure the wafer supply. Men of means will hard N invest the sum required to develop water. if they can secure only six hund- Ted and forty acres of land. Therefore The well meaning amendment IS a twO- elged sword and cuts both ways, with a tesu.t that very little Of the desert lands SAl be reclaimed. It IS unfortunate 'aat such sweeping restrictions have oeen made. To require sufficient water ''' Irrigation, and the actual culti-
 fNAAAbA bA AA4t 4huu bEC CA- ST'-ent Trecautions against the ecquisi- "on O. large bodies of land by cattle men, to the exclusion of farmers. But '1e enterprise and power of associated
 'S''@I iu making 1t possible to trans
 ''A The now barren and worthless lands --'' p-oductive homes, should be en- SO1tased. Actual settlers will buy the
 ,o-l II the water for irrigation is pres s-'' and the intent of oar policy con- ,II'ng the disposition of the public
 ds VIII have been secured. The srgs' sr;S canal enterprises in Arizona are l., ceS of the wisdom of the former .t os'Ai manner of issuing the patent to
 assignee of the person who made the e.''y' To be sure, this hberality has s.'Sn been abused; so have others o.
 4' good laws, but their practical repeal frauds. O''0o'eff oi 'n0