The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-01-12
Our Land Legacy Wasted.

WI IL Ouo W NC lltIle more IMAM bleak
mountain tops and barren sand hills.
The selections that have been made
at any rate, are largely from the least
valuable lands we have. The tracts
are badly scattered, many of them
now inaccessible, and nearly all un-
marketable, except at the will of con-
tiguous owners.
The lands granted by congress for
various state funds aggregate $4,000
acres of which 100000 is apportioned
to charitable, educational, penal and
reformatory institutions; $4,000 to
public buildings at the capital; 1OO,-
600 to scientific schools, 100000 to
normal schools. and 10000 to the
agricultural college. The selections
so far made under these grants
amount to 131, ,317 acres for the char
liable, educational, penal and reform
atory institutions, 1891 for public
buildings at the capital, 64,0S1 for
scientific schools, 59.149 for normal
schools, and S4,OS4 acres for the agri-
cultural college, a total of 1922
acres. The state land commissioners
may not approve all of them, but the
greater part has already been approx
ed. Thus, only one-third remains to
be chosen, and, if the past selections
may serve as criterion the whole will
be of comparatively little value COM
pared with what the people expect or
what they are really entitled to have.
The bulk of this newly acquired
real estate is in eastern Washington
there are 349S.8S acres scattered over
six townships. The character of that
country would give Sahara desert the
ague. The land lies away up on a
broken sandy bench, between the
Yakima and Columbia rivers, almost
due south OF Pasco. Irrigation there
is a physical in.possibility. In the
first place the altitude is too high for
any pump, the land would not hold
water, and the surface is so rough that
ditch could not be built. The coun-
try is not fit for range. The formation
is 6asalt rock and sand. The Column
bia river borders it on the south with
precipice varying from 500 to 5000
feet. The Northern Pacific railroad
company never has sold foot of land
in that vicinity; but offers all its pos
sessions there at 81 and downward an
acre. The land cruiser, who listed for
the state in those regions, solemnly
put price of $5 an acre upon the
pieces. His name is L. 7. Roberts
and his residence Spokane.
A twin selection of this Columbia
river basalt heap is up almost on the
tip top of ridge known as Sand
mountains, in a bend of the Columbia
thirty miles northwest of the mouth
of the Yakima river. The state owns
1923 acres there. valued at S5 per
acre. Coyotes and badgers have pos
session of it now, rent free.
In township "a, 25, 26 and 27,
range 25, east, tract of 300 acres is
amongst the state selections. This is
on the slopes of Moses coulee, the
shell rock inclines of which cannot
he climbed by mountain goat. 1t is
put down as worth $5 an acre.
Along the Yakima river river above
Prosser Falls are several thousand
acres that will be first-class with irri-
CATION, but arc no good for any pur-
pose without it. 1t is not likely, how
ever, that any company would build
ditch through that section, unless it
first procured all the lands so this
state property must be sold at desert
rates.
Perhaps the largest single body of
the state lands is that adjoining the
Colville reservation on the east and a
few miles north of Spokane. 1t is all
rocky, except in narrow valleys, and
the timber is scrubby. 1t is priced at
$S to $12.
On the west side of the Cascades
there has been very little state land
taken at lower elevation than 3OOO
feet above the sea level. The best is
800 acres in section 80, township II,
range 5 east, near the town of Know
son. west of Mt. Tacoma. 1t is really
valuable property. But surrounding
it on every side the land is owned by
big timber company, and this small
niece, hemmed in by itself, is useless
to ANYBODY but the timber company
No one would care to put up costly
machinery to work up so little timber.
and then cut roads through miles and
miles of mammoth trees to gain ac-
cess to a market. The lumber mono
nolv there will take the 32O acres
when it is ready. at its own price.
North of Mt. Tacoma to the British
line the state lands are scattered pro-
miscuously over the mountain slopes,
some of them approaching the line OF
Perpetual show. The topography OF
the surface will not allow the building
Of roads to them. Some fine pieces
were available there, but settlers filed
claims and crowded the state out. 1t
is an old practice for these selfsame
settlers, after pretending to improve
/ their quarters, to sell their rights to
the land and lumber companies that
evidently located the "homesteaders..
The state might easily contest such
frauds, but has neglected to DO SO for
reasons best known to the ofhceis
Whether the timber monopolies exer-
cised hypnotic influence or not IS q
mysterious problem. But somehow
they have been and are getting the
best lands.
The latest work done by the cruiser
is in Clallam county, almost at th'
ridge of the Olympic mountains
Parts of township %, range Ii, ives
have been set aside for the state, ap
prised at $S to $12 an acre. More
being taken near by, and anothe
cruiser is at work in the Wahklakun
mOuntains