The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-03-15
WANTED THE EARTH.
The Land ONCE 0Ysrrun by People
Who Were Too Graspins.
A HUGE BLUEDER AND A PLUTTER
some Excited Individuals wanted
TO File ON the City, while Others
Were Content 20 secure Improved
and Patented Farms.

On Monday a letter was received at the
land Office which by an error ordered the
cancellation Of the Northern Pacific land
entry on which part Of the city OF North
Yakima is located. II also ordered can
collation. OF other lands included in "se-
lection list No. s. to the extent Of thou
sands OF acres. Farms for which patents
have issued were included, and occupied
tracts right and left.
To most people who inquired into the
matter 1t was apparent that blunder
had been made in the commissioners Of
flee at Washington; but there we're some
who took 1t at its worst, and others so
scared that they were ready to take the
wrong view and act upon it and still
others who appeared willing and even
eager to grab land belonging to some one
else on very slight pretext. There are
always such people in the world.
1t was the talk OF the town for two
days, and the land Office was crowded
and given deal OF WORK, trouble and
turmoil for which it gets no pay. A tele-
gram was sent to the commissioner to as
certain If the land grant entries ordered
cancelled were to become vacant and sub
ject 10 filing. No reply to this was re-
ceived until today, when the officers Of
the land Office received the following mes
sage from Commissioner S. W. Lama
raux; make no disposition OF the lands
selected by the Northern Pacific Railroad
company and canceld by letter OF March
9Th until further notice."
On Tuesday Mr.. Schulze telegraphed ].
b. Reavis that il was all mistake; and
again ON Wednesday that the mistake
grew ont OF the cancellation OF the gov.
eminent moiety in the overlapping limits
of the grant to the line from Pasco to
Tacoma, and the restored grant to The
abandoned line down the north side OF
the Columbia river. These overlapping
limits reach from Wallula forty miles up
the railroad, and the restorations within
them were made and the whole matter
adjusted two years ago. The necessary
notations Of cancellation were ordered as
a formal and unimportant part Of the
transaction.
To explain just how the error occurred
is impossible. There was certainly q
mistake, or the list would not have in
cluded lands outside the overlapping
limits. Perhaps the true explanation
will come later. 1t is sufficient now to
state that no one need worry over their
holdings from the railroad company on
the one hand, and on the other that no 4
one will get anybody's ranch by any trick
Of rushing In and trying for it during the
excitement which followed the receipt of
the letter.
1t is in order in this connection to say
that such disturbing incidents are harm
full at best, and that they may be made
very mischievous by being spread and
exaggerated. Nowhere are titles to real
estate more valid than hereabouts. The
next time an absurd story is passed
around it will be well to keep cool and
await explanations. The t tie to govern
ment land cannot be wrenched from any
one in day, nor without such notice as
will give everybody ample time to act
carefully and intelligently.
INCIDENTS OF THE FOLLY.
A. l.. Fix reports that be made applI-
cation for the sw quarter Of the town,
covered by eighty.four houses, including
two livery stables and the stock yards.
In his happy consideration of what he
termed his good luck, he estimated that
his rent roll would be about 1900 per
month.
One gentleman who coveted farm
filed on a quarter sectit OF the high bills
east OF the city.
Nearly all the land on the Mckee was
covered by applications, including the ar
tesian wells, George Ker's ranch, and
most Of the Mckee company's property.
1t was reported that clerical gentle
man had made application for one Of the
improved farms OF the Mckee, and q
gentleman sententiously remarked that
the reverend came here to save souls and
ended up with trying to steal ranch.
For the honor of the cloth it is only JUS
tice to say there was no truth in the re-
port.
Seventeen ill-advised men left Yakima
on Wednesday to take up claims belong
ing to the big irrigation company. They
will see splendid and rapidly-develop-
ing country, but will otherwise gain moth
for their time and expense.
An Ellensburgh gentleman telegraphed
to DR.. Hare to know if there was any
truth in the report in circulation there
that the entire Northern Pacific land
grant had been forfeited. His anxiety
was relieved.
In their anxiety to gei some of the
good things that were supposed to be
floating about so freely, number OF FL
ings were made on mountainous lands
that were absolutely worthless, which
reminded Col. Hewlett OF the story OF the
farmer who said that he had traded so
acres for steer, and would have got the
other 80 off on the fellow If his vile had
only kept still.
Bruce NJ. Brewer, engineer OF the N. P.
Y. & X. Irrigation Co., returned from
San Francisco on Thursday. Mr.. Brewer
Al Il ..I Il