Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1895-05-23
TIC S.[ete Reservation.


Friday answering questions relative
to the opening Of the Siletz Indian
reservation to settlement. The dis
/ patch in Fridays Oregonian saying
that the president had signed the
proclamation was sufficient to set
land-seekers moving, as had been
the case two or three times before,
all wanting information that would
enable them to secure claims the
moment the land IS eligible to
entry. Anxious iuquirers were
told not to worry about the matter;
that they would have ample notice
OF the time when filings would he
received at the land Office, and OF
the special regulations governing
the manner Of acquiring title TO
these particular lands.
The law under which the Siletz
reservation is to be opened says that
the secretary of the interior shall,
Under such regulations as he may
prescribe, open said land TO settle
ment after proclamation by the
president and 60 days notice. /"
1t is presumed that the notice will
be given through the regular cham
rel, and that after such notice is
published from the land Office here
there viii De 90 days IN which
inending settlers MAJ make due
preparations for entering their
claims. Sixty days notice being
required by the law. the announce
ment that the reservation would be
opened next Tuesday must be a
mistake. Not more than a third Of
the reservation mas yet been sur
veyed, so far as the records OF this
land Office show.
The Siletz reservation IS - miles
long, north and south, and from II
miles at the north to II miles at
the south in width. Of its 500
sections there are approved plats OF
only IA sections now in the land
Office. These sections are along
the course Of the Salmon river, in
the northern part ofthe reservation,
on Devil lake, on Siletz bay, and
along the Siletz river, and prac-
ticaily all are occupied by the
Indians. The northeastern two
thirds is not 50 desirable as the
lam on the coast and rivers, and
much OF it is said 10 be yet unex-
plored. The law provides as fol-
lows for the disposal OF the vacant
lands OF this reservation:
Mineral lands shall be disposed
OF under the laws applicable there
to, and The balance Of the land so
ceded shall be disposed OF, until
further provided by law, under the
towusite law AMI under the pro-
visions OF the homestead law. Pro-
viding, however, that each settler,
under and il accordance with the
provisions OF said homestead laws,
shall, at the time Of making his
original entry, pay the the sum OF
so cents per acre in addition TO the
fees now required by law, and at
the. time Of making final proof shall
pay the further sum OF 81 Per acre,
final P-oot 10 be made within FIVE
years from the date Of entry, and
three years, actual residence on the
land shall be established in home
stead proofs as p.erequisit to title
OF patent"
The 1owusite law authorizes the
president to reserve from public
lands townsites Oh the shores OF
harbors, at the junction Of rivers,
important po-tages or any natural
or prospective center OF population.
For town Of less than 700 inhabi-
tants, the county judge may enter
not TO exceed $40 acres OF land 50
settled and occupied, at SI.25 per
acre, the judge to hold in trust for
the settlers according TO their
respective interests. The entry OF
the land must be made, however,
or declaratory statement Of the
purpose Of the inhabitants to enter
it as a towDsite.nust be filed with