The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1896-02-14
WASHINGTON NEWS
What Oregon Representatives
Are Accomplishing.
HERMANN SEEMS ACTIVE
An Early Day Tragedy---A
Girl Badly Burned.

Hermann has introduced q
measure of interest to the Klamath
county region. It is to dispose,
under the homestead law, to actual
settlers, in quantities of so acres to
each settler, the body Of lands here
tofore reserved for military pur-
poses and known as the Fort
Klamath hay reserve. Itembraces
two thousand acres. and is reported
to the department as valuable
meadow lands. Since the abandon
ment of Fort klamath as a post
these lands have remained tied up,
and not subject to disposal under
any of the public land laws. Two
methods have been proposed for
their disposal-one by cash sale to
the highest bidders, and the other
by settlement under the homestead
act, 1t is the latter course which
Hermann has adopted. The in
terror department stands by him,
and recommends his bill.
Ellis has thus far taken care Of
all the public land bills for Oregon,
which have been referred to his
committee. There are some await
ing a report from the interior de-
partment, before being reported.
Owing to the fact that all bills are
referred to the secretary by the
president, when they relate to pub
lie lands or Indians, it has been
found advisable to get bill which
will conform to the wishes of the
secretary before reporting it from
the committees, as it insures ap-
proval by the president.
Hermann has secured from. the
department an order for mail SER
vice three timesa week from Forest
Grove to Hayward via Thatcher
in Washington county, and pro-
posals have been invited for that
service. He has also fled nu-
merously signed petition from Lane
county, asking for postoffice at
the Blue River bridge. with S. G..
Sparks as postmaster.
Hermann has secured the re-
quired order from the lighthouse
board for buoy to mark the bar
at the entrance of the Siletz river.
It will be a second class striped
buoy. Hermann is endeavoring to
aid commerce in seeking that
stream, as it is represented that
one or more salmon canning estab
lishments are about to go there.
The senate committee on public
lands has reported bill which is
a copy of one introduced by Nit
chell. and provides for the payment
to the states OF 5 per cent. of the
net proceeds of the sale of public
lands, This will result in quite a
fund for the states The same bill
has been reported before, but has
never passed.
Mcbride finds enough to keep
him busy on the committee on
| public lands. There are many
matters pertaining to Oregon, and,
in fact, the entire Pacific coast, that
he desires to look after, and which
the senators from that region ask
Of him. He also has plenty to dc
on the commerce committee.
Hermann has introduced a bill
in the house TO allow mineral en-.
tries under the mineral land laws
upon the Cascade forest reserve
AS one bill like this has passed fol
Colorado, there seems to be bui
little doubt that this will &c
through.
Mitchell's opposition to the con-
6rmation of General Coppingel
was not generally known until {
day or two after the vote had beer
taken. The Pacific coast senators
| generally seemed to be against Cop
pinger.
The committee on interstate com
merce in the house has reported
favorably Hermann's bill extend
ing the time for the construction
of a bridge across the Columbis
river in Oregon.