The morning call., 1892-07-26
FIVE THOUSAND ACRES.
The Quantity Of Good Rail-
road Land Forfeited.
A HlLD RUSH TO A NEW MECCA.
Hundreds Are Doomed to Most Bitter
Disappointment.
SAN BENITO is 4 BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.
But That Part Of 1t Not Already Fenced
In Is MeStly on Edge City Men
in the Country.
Special to THE MORNING CALI.

TRES PINes. July 25.-Men In broad
cloth and men in jeans, women in silk and
women In calico are making Mecca of
San Benito County.
They are looking for tree land.
In the hotels, stores and in the railroad
waiting-rOoms the words most frequently
read are: Quarter sections" Locating
on railroad lands" Taking up claims" and
Driving stakes"
Those OF THE CALL readers who would
know the precise situation need but be told
that there is land here, plenty of it, but
good land is hard to get free gratis fur
nothin'."
As one gets closer and closer to the for
feited railroad grant the acreage of avail
able territory melts and melts until when
one gets on the land itself one finds it re-
duced to very small figure.
1t starts with 10000 acres, and it gets
down to 5000.
From all that 1 can learn, and I have
talked with good many San Benito people
TODAY, there is really not above 5000 acres
OF Government land in the old railroad
grant that is worth anybody's while looking
after.
This is for the most part grazing land.
1t Is lovely country, that about San
Benito. but good deal of it happens to be
fenced in.
The crowd of home-seekers who imagined
that there was great virgin field open for
them here are not feeling well since they
came.
And yet they are looking about and hop
ing to make a find.
Some of them will doubtless secure good
homes.
The great majority will be disappointed.
To tell the actual truth most of that 5000
acres is or the slant.
1t is up in the blue hills that look so
pretty from the yellow valley.
Those who go there TO live will have little
need of quinine. but they will have great
need OF sidehill shoes.
They Will lie greatly advantaged in one
respectfully will get good deal of land
to the acre.
On the train coming down I saw good
many people from the city who talked
freely of their pros poets.
Some of them had bundles of Sheeban's
circulars. A few had tow nship blanks and
others were accompanied by surveyors, who
carried tripods and the things you put on
top to sqnint through.
THAT Government land forfeited bv the
railroad" said an old San Bento settler to
me, rs mostly in the hills, but few sharp
fellows, who know how to look for il, are
going to get hold Of valuable pieces of valley
land. Some OF the foothill land is good.
but you've got to grub off the chemise and
chaparral before you can begin TO plough,
and that's not very good outlook to begin
with.
''Some of that land will raise good grapes.
but there's no money in grapes down this
way.
''Some of 1t is good for orchards. but it is
not easy to cultivate.
After you had got 100 acres Of it under
cultivation. 1 don't think you could get
more than s. to SO an acre for it.
mo. the outlook for the man who comes
here for free land is by no means good. A
city man of inexperienee had better stay
away. He will only waste his time.
People who are used to looking for land
and who can tell what 1t is good for after
they have found it will stand some show.
Others can do nothing"