The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-13
NOT IN GOOD FAITH.
Scathing Report on Skagit
Homestead Settlements.
IMPROVEMENTS WERE SLIGHT.
special Agent Says the settlers hade
FaIso Reports and Did Not he-
side on the Land.

Special Agen, Marsh Atkisson, OF ne
government land office. has recently neeil
making Some exploring expeditions
trgnmgh skagft county and look
Ing into the condition o certain
boYnaSteads which have been TAKEN
up IN that county. as evidenced ~ several
conrnurica tiong received yesterday "
the local land office from the COMMISSION
81 Of the general land office Az q result
81 IFS reports. five homsstead sh'tis@ a."
held for cancellation.
the entry az Arthur Everett for the west
half Of the southwest quarter. section y
northwest quarter. northwest quarter
southwest quarter. northwest quarter
nection O. township g north, range 10 east'
in Skagif county. was held for canceiia-
ton. and the eutrynan given sixty DAYS
within which 10 apply FOR hearing 20
show cause why his entry should be sus-
tained Everett alleged In his proof tnat
be established his residence on the land
IN May 1fS9 built a cedar lumber mouse,
Igxz4 comfortable II all respects. an out
house. wood Ehsd cultivated three acres
and partly cleared three more that ne
lenced the clearing and built road TO his
CAIN. that the total value Of the Improve
rnents was $50. and that except for tenn
porary periods he resided on the land con-
finuousiy and raised crops on it four sea-
cons.
Special Agent Afkisson, in bis report,
says he made a personal examination %
the tract and found one acre around the
house inclosef with a rail fence. cedar
shake house. f7x2s. with two windows and
one door. not completed. because the
cracks were not closed The Enclosure
around the house was siashed: there Was
small shake house In one corner, not hab-
fable: some timothy. and some potatoes
planted. but not gathered. and that the to-
tai value OF the improvements was So. in
stead of $50. lie says the claimant lives
at Mount Vernon. and only visited the
land during the summers, never having
made IL his home, his visits being for the
purpose of holding the claim and not
10 cultivate or improve the land. that E.v-
erett admits that he made but four visits
10 the land In 1893 and TWO In 1891. and that
IL was mortgaged last February to c. +.
Burnside
The homestead entry OF Marai D.etz, OF
Everett. for the southeast quarter OF sec
ton ., township % north. range 6 east
skagit county, WIS held for cancellation.
Atkisson reported that he found log cabin
with one door. no window. half an acre
partly slashed and burned around the
cabin. no evidence of any cultivation, and
he valued the improvements at $50. Res
denee was never established by the claim
ant, who has resided AT Everett since max
INK the entry, only visiting the land occa-
sionally
William Borland. OF Cokedale. made final
homestead entry on November - 1894. for
The northwest quarter. southeast quarter
northeast quarter. southwest quarter. and
lots and ?, section 4. township % NORTH
range 10 east, alleging In proof that he es-
,ablished his residence on the land In April
1873. that the improvements consisted of
log house, lfxl6. Clubhouse. two and three
quarters acres OF land cultivated. two and
ms t4e.f H. IL a
aad "A trail. to the total value OF $3.50. that
his residence was continuous except for a
month AZ different times when he was
working for a living. and that he cultivated
the land four seasons, his wife and child
not living on the Land because Of the sick
ness OF the former.
In this case Atkisson says ne found a
cabin made Of poles. value $40. one acre
slashed and partly cleared value SIS. no
evidence OF crop having been raised a.
any time. and bushes and hriers covered
the slashed land. The cntryman's resi-
dence was denied by those competent TO
know. who said that during the period COW
cred by the proof the claimant resided at
Hamilton with his wife and child. OCCASION
ally visiting the land: that on June -. 1898.
he sold the land 20 J. NJ. Roach, his father
in-law. for 81 100
Frank Sandell Is another sufferer by the
special agents examination on Septem-
tSE IL iN3. ne made homestead entry for
the northeast quarter OF section Is. town
ship e north, range east. and proof on
August 81 lS95. alleging that his residence
was established IN May, lSai leave OF alb
sence having heen granted by the register
from March 10 May = 1894; that his In
provements. valued AZ $50, consisted Of a
house. well furnished three acres slashed.
good spring. two miles of pony tran. one
acre cultivated two seasons. that his resi-
dence on the land Was continuous and thar
he was married man. The local office
suspended his proof on September L. and
referred the case % tho general land office.
having been Informed that the law had
not been complied with
Atklsson investigated the case In October.
and hts report SAYS that he found a cedar
cabin. l. by a. a door no window. no chin
ney or opening for a stove pipe. but the
cabin looked new AMI clean. There was
some slashlug. tho timber lying where II
feh, there vas no fence. no clearing. 70
cultivation OF any character. and the
value OF thc improvements MS s. n. in
stead OF S5an. The claimant resides on
Mercer Island. never established his resi-
cence on TIE land. admits tn an affidavit
the truth of the agents report. and saws
he thinks hiS claim should be- Cancelled. as
ne does not want 30 get into trouble HIM
SGlE or make trouble for others