The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-12
LAND FOR THE STATES
To Be Given Provided 1t Is
Reclaimed.
Congress Makes a Provision for
Opening Up the Dry Places
to Settlement.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 11.-By the action
of the House to-day in adopting Senate
amendment to the sundry civil bill, an
important irrigation and reclaim alton
measure will become law. The section
provides that:
To encourage the reclamation OF arid lands,
their cultivation and sale in small tracts TO
actual settlers, there is reserved in each OF the
States to which the desert land law is applic-
able, including California Oregon, Nevada,
Washington, Arizona, New M exico, Oklahoma
and Utah, L ZOO. 900 acres of surveyed public
arid lands In said States respectively, 10 be
selected by each within ten years. Any lands
so reserved which shall not be reclaimed within
five years from date of their selection and ap-
provaI or al TO which the State has not ex-
pended So per acre in works intended for the
reclamation Of such lands, as now required by
the desert land law from claimants thereunder r,
shall be released from such reservation and
become subject TO disposal as other public
lands after proclamation by the President so
declaring.
Any State accepting these conditions Is
authorized to make all necessary regulations
governing the manner or extent of reclamation
and all contracts TO cause said land to be so re-
claimed and settled and cultivated by actual
settlers In accordance with such regulations; /;
and as rapidly as State may furnish compe.
tent proof that any OF said lands are reclaimed
and occupied by actual settlers, in accordance
with its said regulations. patents shall issue to
the State or its assigns for said lands so re-
claimed and settled; provided. that States shall
not sell or dispose of more than 160 acres Of
said land TO any one person, and the net pro-
ceeds TO the State from the sale OF such lands
shall be held and expended as separate fund
to aid the work of reclaiming lands so reserved
by this section, and the surplus If any. shall be
devoted by the State TO reclaiming other arid
lands in said State.
All lands exclusive OF timber and mineral
lands, which will not, without irrigation, pro-
duce some agricultural crop shall be deemed
arid lands within the meaning of this section,
which fact shall be ascertaned by the aff1dayits
OF two or more credible witnesses, filed in the
Land Office Of the district in which such lands
may be situated at the time of the selection
thereof; provided, that this section shall not
be construed to authorize the leasing of the
lands selected or the disposal or use of them py
the States respectively, in any way whatever
except to secure their reclamation, cultivation
and settlement; and the Commissioners Of the
Land Office shall, subject to the approval OF the
Secretary OF the Interior, make all rules and
regulations necessary TO carry out the provls.
ions of this law and to enable the Secretary to
examine any of the lands that may be selected.
There is appropriated $1,000 availa BILE
for carrying the sections into effect.
In the House to-day Representative
Picker of South Dakota introduced bill
providing for the appointment by the
President of five commissioners to make
thorough examination OF the mineral, tim
Der, agricultural, grazing and desert lands
west of the ninety-eighth meridian. and
ascertain and report what practical means
can be employed by the Government and
what legislation is necessary for the utili-
zation of these lands in the interests OF the
people of the United States.