The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-01-02
LAND OFFICE BUSINESS.
How the Public Domain in Wash
iRgton i Disposed Of.
More Than 100000 Acres Home
steaded Last Year-opportnn-
titles for the Settler.

Number OF timber claims taken, flse /;
pre-eEsptious, 1851; homes4eads, 1852 /;
coal claims. a. The timber claims
taken aggregates Is3. 40 acres vita an
average OF II, 20 feet Of timber on each
acre or . grand total OF $1,000 go
feet Of stumpage sold by the govern
ment TO private parties. OF his vast
amount fully txs-thiras has been
taken since July. The timber land
filings in the land Office from July
81, ISIS 10 December 81 of the same
year aggregate is. Making the value
Of this timber st the lowest basis paid
by leggers. private individuals have
purchased from the government 81,
1900 worth OF standing timber at e
cost OF So, 500. When cut up into
lumber and sold at SIS per 1000, the
amount OF ths transaction viii swell
to the enormous proportions OF $53,
10000. The land remaining after
stumpage, valued at the government
price OF s. 80 per acre. leaves the
holders with property valued at Si72,-
So, OF exactly the amount paid the
government FOR the land and timber.
The greater amount OF this timber land
IS situated in Skagit, snobomish, Kit
sap, Chehalis and Clallam counties,
the remainder being about equally
divided over the Sound counties.
The 16o4 prescriptions represent
256.G Go acres Of presumably fertile
land Within the first year each set
tier viii slash and clear on an average
6 acres, or a total Of 1924 acres, and
viii make Improvements valued at
500 on each claim, total OF SS02, 600
This acreage, if proved up on, at $40
per acre viii reach the valued 50 $685.
400, q very low estimate.
OF homesteads there were POI 40
acres entered. on which an average of
u acres to each 100 will be slashed and
cleared a total clearing of IS, 5s4 acres.
This acreage, at $40, will aggregate
S2,61l 200. and each succeeding year
will add largely 20 the valuations
above quoted.
Within the time above specified ca
coal entries were made. representing
an investment of SI53,G00.
These transactions, of course. repre-
sent only lands reclaimed from the
public domain. At the present ratio
il cannot be far distant when fertile
government lands subject 10 entry
will be a dream OF the past, and the
enterprising Washingtonian viii turn
his attention TO gobbiing up our school
and tide lands. as present indications
tend to point.
The character OF the immigration,
as viewed from those who visit the
Seattle land office, are largely from
Dakota, Minnesota and neighboring
states-Swedes and NOrwegians form-
ing the major part. Two-thirds of the
incoming population evince strong
Republican tendencies.
YAKIMA DISTRICT.
The Yakima land district, eompris-
ing that portion of Eastern Washing
ton living north and west of the Column
bia river, during the last year have re-
corded 500 homestead entries, 6A pre-
emption filings, go timber culture en-
tries. - desert-land filings, 81 final
homestead entries, lbs cash entries, s
coal entries and mineral entries, rep
resenting an aggregate acreage of pre-
emptions of los, $40 acres; homesteads,
$500 acres; timher cultures, I6, 400
acres desert-land entries. Il, 160 acres !;
the sum total representing an area OF
2ll 400 acres.
wALLA wALLA DISTRICT.
The Waila Walla district. compris-
ing all that section OF Eastern Wash
ington lying south Of Snake river, a
portion of Whitman county and the
whole of Franklin and portion OF
Adams county. although the oldest
district in the Territory, and conse-
quently the most thickly settled. re-
ports l9S homestead entries, 5l6 pre-
emption filings, 2I7 timber-CultUre
filings and Is deSert-land filings. PIG
final homestead entries, Isl cash en-
tries and p timber-eulture entries, a
combined area of l59, 100 acres. divided
Is follows: HomeSteads, 81 $50 acres !;
prescriptions. 50 $50 acres: timber
culture entries, 34,T20: desert-laud en-
tries. 0,440 acres.
SPOKANE DISTRICT.
The Spokane land district embFae-
ing all that portion Of Eastern Wash
ington north of the Walla Walla dis
trict and east OF the Columbia. with
the exception of the counties noted a
a portion OF the Walla Walia district.
is second in Importance and amount
OF business transacted 10 the Seattle
office Although reports from that dis
trici have failed - reach Us il i safe
TO say taat the aggregate Of their bust
ness viii not fail a third below that of
the Seattle Office or an aggregate OF
settlement of 10000 acres taken en-
tirely under the homestead. pre-emp-
ton and timber-cultare acts.
yANC0UyER DISTRICT.
Embracing all that district in West
ern Washington south of the Seattle
district anu west of the Cascade
mountains, comprised in part of cid
settled communities and largely Of
rough mountainous land. has trans
acted during the past year about the
same volume ct business as the Walla
Waila office, it, entries in large part
being under the timber and stone
land acts and far share of home
stead entries and coal land Elings.
NORTHERN Pacific LANDS.
Mr.. Paul Schulze. general land
agent Of the Northern Pacific Land
Company. reports the business OF his
comuanv for the year ending Deem
Ter -. ISIS - double that ef any pre-
ceziiug wear. Their sales for the year
1855 have aggregated 243,6ls acres.
equally divided between Eastern and
Western " Washington Territory. This
land was sold to i,9-s different pur-
chaSers. making an average of Is
acres to each pUFtha~er. The con>Ia-
Grafton being 81 PA So. or an average
81 -. - per acre At least - per cent.
OF these sales were made on Eve or ten
wears time ~ per cent per aunum.
SUMMARY.
From the above il VII De seen that
the sale OF lands has been as follows
N the several districts
tCgEs.
Ssartie. -.......--.. - IT7.l1
Suosans Approximate #1.eto
Yakima .-...-.-....-.-.....-.....- n 40
NsUa wallR -...---..-....-...-.. Is9, 500
Vancouver approximate, ..-. l5o,W0
y f. < r Lands -..-s..-.-..-- l25,ols