Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-08-01

homes are surrounded with comforts
not usually found in the home of the
early settler. A better class of build
'ngs WOULD, however, be erected and
more extensive improvements made
were the lands surveyed and lines es,
tablished.
a large portion of tho agricul,, raj
area of Idaho requires irrigation.
Ihe construction of irrigatinp canals
Is expensive and is absolutely neces.
ary for the purpose of conveying water
Tor the reclamation Of land in the arid
districts and for domestic purposes;
and what have said in this respect
In relation to Idaho will apply to all
OF the new States and the Territories
within the limits of the arid belt: in
fact, all OF the Western and North.
western States are interested and de
mand fair appropriation for the sur.
veys OF the public domain.
In the northern part of my State
there is an extensive grant OF land to
the Northern Pacific Railway Com.
pany, covering odd sections for 40
miles on each side of said road, with
an indemnity limit in addition thereto
OF ~ miles on both sides, making
total width Of 100 miles across the
State, only a fraction of which is sur
veyed. Within the limits OF this
grant there are number of thrifty
towns, and hundreds of our citizens
have settled on these lands, retaining
and bringing them under the highest
state OF cultivation and making for
themselves permanent homes. Those
settlers have made urgent appeals for
= survey. as there is no other way to
determine whether they have settled
on government or on railway lands.
They are fearful that if their homes
and Improvements are located on
lands belonging to the company an
excessive price will be exacted OF
them because OF the improvements
they (the settlers) have made. This
fear may or may not be we'll founded.
The company, appreciating the hard
ships endured by the settlers IN i'm
proving the lands and in developing
the country, may make no reckoning
Of the enhanced value created at the
expense and labor OF the occupants.
On the other hand, it is ure ed that
corporations usually exact all that a
property can be made to realize. On
these lands are large tracts of valu-
able timber, upon which spectators
are foraging. and when arrested for
violation of law and brought into
court on the charge of trespass upon
the public lands they defy us to prove
whether the depredations alleged we're
committed upon the public domain or
on the odd sections belonging to the
railroad company. We find ourselves
unable to produce the evidence, the
land being unsuryeyed. The cases
are dismissed aud the defendants walk
out Of court to new their profitable
vocation. We are in this way losing
millions upon millions of feet each
year OF our best timber. These lands
were granted to the Northern Pacific
Railway Company by act of Congress
approved July 2, 1864. The odd Sec
tions in this grant cannot be located
or segregated from the public domain
while the lands remain unsurveyed;
the importance of an early
survey must be apparent to every
Senator.
The State, counties. and schools, Is
we'll as individuals, suffer by not hav.
ing this land grant and all other agri>
cultural lands in the State surveyed,
as they are exempt from taxation, and
will continue to be exempt as long as
they remain a part OF the public do.
main. Those occupying these lands
would gladly, if their titles were Sc.
cure, pay taxes on the same. | may
add that there is another reason as
important as any already given why
the public lands should be surveyed.
Congress in admitting the new States
made liberal grants of lard for edu-
,ational and other institutions, which
we're fully appreciated by the citizens
If all of the new States; but these
grants are of little value unless we
secure an early survey. This was ap-
parent to me when Idaho was ad-
n tied; hence my letter to the SUI
,eyor General Of the State, under
late Of October, 1890, referred to in
he opening of my remarks. His reply
ueeested the possibility of relief
trough the genaral land Office.
ITO Be Continned.)