The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-05-25
CONSOLIDATING LAND OFFICES.

CONSOLIDATING LAND OFFICES.
One OF the boasts Of Congressman John
L. Wilson, who claims credit for every
thing done in congress which he thinks
would prove beneficial to him, or which
would swell the pompous little bump
that Is perched on top Of his spindle
frame, is that he was instrumental in re-
ducing the appropriation for land Offices
In this state through which the number Of
land Offices must be cut down from seven
to four. Why he should see any glory
In this move, which will cause embarrass-
ment and hardship to thousands Of toll
ing settlers. Is past finding out, but the
evil has been done and now IL is obliga-
tory upon the secretary Of the interior to
consolidate the district land offices before
June 80, 1898, SO as to bring the cost and
maintenance of the offices within the
appropriation.
The land'offices are now located at Sc
attic, Olympia, Vancouver, Spokane,
Walla Walla, Waterville and North
Yakima. OF these but four will remain
in existance after the 30th OF June. On
the west side one Office will probably be
eliminated. According to the business
transacted 1t would be that at Vancouver,
but the geographical location would in
dictate that either the Olympia or Seattle
office. doubtless the former, will be
abolished.
In eastern Washington two Offices must
90, one of which will undoubtedly be
that at Wsterville, and the other lays be-
tween Yakima and walla walla. In re-
casting the district lines to best subserve
the interests Of the settlers the Yakima
Office would be left undisturbed, other
wise central Washington would be with
out land Office, and present and pros
pective settlers would be forced to go
OF miles over announcement and
broken lines Of travel, and at great ex-
pense, in order to transact their business
with the government.
In the past the walla Walla Office has
been a maximum one, but the district,
which is one OF the earliest settled in the
state. is now nearly all taken and proof
mainly made, while central Washington
is sparsely settled country which is at
tracing more attention through its great
irrigation canals, has more agricultural
lands subject to entry, and Is being set
tied and developed faster than any other
section-of the state. For these reasons
a land Office conveniently located, as is
the one at North Yakima, is a necessity.
and 1t is to be earnestly hoped that the
interior department will realize the adj
visibility OF continuing it in existance.
In the Encouragement of districts the at
tention Of the secretary is called to the
natural division for such districts; the
one bounded on the east by the state line
and on the west by the Columbian Guide
Meridian and the Columbia river, the
other on the east by the western boun-
dairy of the FIRST, as stated, and on the
west by the summit OF the Cascade
mountain range. OF the first it is not
our purpose to speak farther than to call
attention to the fact that the Northern
Pacific, Union Pacific, Spokane North
ern and Great Northern railroads afford
ample means for reaching Spokane from
every part OF the suggested district.
The suggested Yakima district, though
somewhat smaller than the first pro-
posed district, Is OF greatly more i'm
portance in Its relation to the future
settlement Of the public domain. At the
time Of the establishment of the Yakima
land district in the fall of the year 1880,
the great valleys comprising the bulk Of
that district, were made up Of arid land.
Now there are existing and projected irri-
CATION canals which will reclaim millions
OF acres of this land. The Yakima Indian
reservation whose opening is a question
OF the near future contains s0O,0o0 acres
OF good homestead land. The eastern
slope OF the Cascade mountains and the
mountains Of the northernmost end OF the
district are rich in mineral and all of
these sections are easily accessible by
the Northern Pacific railroad and the
Columbia river. The central portion of
this suggested district would be what il
now the North Yakima land district.
while 1t would take from Douglas anG
Okanogan counties part of the Water
vile district and from Klickitat and
Franklin counties parts Of the Vancouver
and Walla Walla districts.
While, perhaps, the showing OF volume
OF business is not SO great from Yakima
as from some other districts, il may
be readily understood, with the above
explanations in reference to irrigation
operations and the opening OF the Yaki-
ma Indian reservation that this district
would contain great portion of uutaken
public domain from which the settler
could more readily come to North Yakima
than 20 to either Waterville or WalIa
Walla; in fact, Yakima would be the
natural center OF the central Washington
land district, in the event that two offices
only shall remain in place OF the four
now existing.
In the hop districts Of New York the