Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-08-17
WEEKLY CITIZEN.
IS IT A PARALYZER?

The following associated press dis patch, dated Washington, August 9th is liable to create consternation in Ari zona if the bearing of the order as issued by the department, be as broad as the one outlined in Ihe telegram. There ii hardly foot of arabic mesa or bottom land in the Territory that cannot be ir- rigated by the water storage system and there is hardly a mountain range within Arizona'a broad domain that does not, to a greater or less extent, offer facilities for water storage. It is because of this that the blow will fall the more heavily on the Territory if the follow ing order be enforced.
 Acting Land Commissioner Stone to- day issued an important circular to all Registers and Receivers respecting the irrigation survey. After quoting the law he says: The object sought to be accomplished by the foregoing provis- ion Is unmistakable. The water sources and arid lands that may be irrigated by a system of national irrigation are now reserved. to be hereafter, when redeem ed to agriculture, transferred to the peo- pie of the Territories in which they are situated, flor homestead. by act of con- gress, and common justice requires that they should be faithfully preserved for these declared purposes. The statute provides that all lands which may here after be designated or selected by the geological survey as sites for reservoirs. %al.o lr, ses, and all lands made susceptible of ir- rigation by such reservoirs, ditches or canals, are, since the passage of the said act, absolutely reserved for sale as the property of the United States, ana shall not be subject after the passage of the act, to entry, settlement or occupation. until further provided by law, or the President by. proclamation, may open said lands to settlement. Neither indi- viduals or corporations have the right to make filings upon any lands thus re- served, nor can they be permitted to ob- tain control of lakes and streams that are susceptible of uses for irrigating purposes. You will therefore immedi- ately cancel all filings made since Octo- Der ?, 1888, on such sites for reservoirs, ditches or canals for irrigating purposes and all lands that may be susceptible of irrigation by such reservoirs, ditches or canals, whether made by individuals or corporations, and you will hereafter re- ceive DO filings upon any such lands. This order you will carry into effect without delay"
 Lands once withdrawn from public en try, are virtually dead to the public for years, as may be instanced by the Algo- dones land grant below Yuma. This land was withdrawn from public settle ment because of said supposed grant The grant was proven fraudulent years ago, but the land has never reverted to the public domain, nor must other lands when once withdrawn, expect other dis position. If the public lands of the ter ritory are to be tied up and settlement debarred therefrom until again opened by the authorities, Arizona will expe- rience disastrous setback. But until we know more than is contained in the telegram in question, the subject is hard ly open for discussion. If, however, ii will be proven true by subsequent infor- nation, it will be neither wise nor pru- dential to advise the Senate Committee to visit us, for if We understand the rul- ing aright, all the public lands in Arizo- na will be practically withdrawn from settlement However we await more information on the subject before be, coming too badly scared.