, 1888-11-01
Those Vacant and Available in
this Land District.
Room and Choice Opportunities
For a Vast Multitude.
The Northern Pacific Lands---value q
Mounta In si d Dssrt---Erronous
Field Notes.

called there he met a goodly number of
hardy looking people from the back
country, who we're in attendance to make
preliminary filings on government lands
which they had selected.
WHAT MAKES A MAN.
Engaging in conversation with one of
these, the reporter asked him If he had
found piece of land suitable to his liking.
YES" replied the locator, 'as good as
ever expect to find. The quality makes
no difference to me at present, as believe
it's the biggest thing in the world to own
q piece of Gods earth, whether good or
bad. am now going to settle down and
be somebody"
$50 you think a man without land
don't amount to much?"
That's it exactly. / personally know
that such one is practically an outcast.
1t is piece of land, home, that gives
man identity with his fellow men, and as
the poet says: Turns him TO shape, and
gives to airy nothing, local habitation
and name Without the first he cannot
gain the other, and unless he has both he
is neither socially nor politically of any
consequence among mankind"
THE REGISTER INTERvI EwED.
Rejecting on the wise sentiments ex.
pressed by this strange philosopher the
reporter concluded to interview Captain
Adams, the register, and ascertain what
government lands are yet obtainable and
where they are situated. The captain
himself having once been a newspaper
man. no difficulty stood in the way.
"ls there much vacant government land
in this district that can yet be taken up by
settlers,' he WAS asked
Yes" he replied, "there Is q vast
amount of vacant government land, This
is an immense district--one of the finest
in the world, although the entries are not
SO numerous rs in some of the others
'Is it good soil that can be made pro.
ductive?"
"The possibilities of any soil are not
known until tried. 1t is not like the
prairies of illinois, but little judgment
in methods of adaptation is all that is re-
quired. There are vacant tracts in the
large plains OF Adams county and por-
tions of Lincoln county. Northward there
are fine opportunities in Spokane and
Stevens counties. The fine grazing lands
hooks and corners can be found for agri-
culture. There are large plains Of seeming
sterile soil where bunch grass grows, and
where, until few years ago, 1t was
Thought nothing could be grown but now
it is known 10 be good farming land. This
is the case in Western Lincoln county and
in Lincoln and Adams counties generally.
In many places where there is yet govern
ment land, there are large quantities of
4; ,,,ka n,;th ~ 800,
that make very desirable locations"
"What lands are withheld from entry
because of red.tape delays in government
business methods?'
There are twenty townships up north
that have been withdrawn within the past
year. because of an alleged discovery of
fraud in the surveys, and thus it has been
tied up to the great woryment of bona
fide settlers but the general land.oifice
now promises to open it up for entry and
settlement again. as soon as the appropri-
ations, either for new surveys or re'exam-
ming the old ones, become available"
"How long before that will take place?"
Probably within a few months, as con-
eress has now made its general approprla-
tions and adjourned"
NORTHERN PACIFIC FORFEITURE.
"What are the facts concerning the gem
eral forfeiture of the Northern Pacific
land grants, that we hear so much about ?"
There has been no general forfeiture
act passed that applies to this land dis
trict. The house of representatives bills
declaring forfeiture never got through the
senate. Lately. the house passed an act
forfeiting the Northern Pacific grant, in
Guiding all lands not earned within the
limits of the extension of time previously
provided in which the company was to
10 a. l...A 4 4 II
| senate. Several extensions of time were
made them for such work, and finally the
government ceased to extend it. Never.
theless, the company went on afterwards
and built the road"
"Will any such forfeiture act ever be
passed by congress?'
II think not. Some congressman stoutly
resist it, and sensible men who know of a
power that is always behind the throne, do
not think it will ever become law. There
is, however, an indemnity bet--the ten.
mile outside lieu lands--out of which
strip the company was permitted to make
selections in lieu of the lands occupied by
settlers before their first twenty-mile strips
had been granted them. The law con-
templated that the company would
come forward aud show their selections
from the outside ten-mile additional,
indemnity strips, within q reason
able time. As a matter of fact Columbus
Delano, the secretary of the interior, once
made withdrawal of all the claimed
lands in those outside strips, and latteriy
there has been a general restoration of
such lands to the public domain. In the
meantime the company has made its in
demnity selections there without showing
their corresponding losses of land in the
original interior twenty. mile strips. This
was permitted by Secretary Teller"
NAME AND AREA OF DISTRICT