The San Francisco call., 1896-01-11
Virgin Soil That Will Laugh a
Harvest When Tickled
With a Hoe.
CHANCE FOR HoMEsTEADERs.
Something About the Unoccupied
Tracts Brought to Notice by
"The Call"

SANTA BARBARA, CAL, Jan. 10.-The
United States land Office at Los Angeles
has been besieged with inquiries regarding
certain tract Of Government land close
to Santa Barbara and open to entry, which
was described in THE CALL several weeks
ago. Many requests for information have
also reached the local Office of The CALL
in this city.
1t had long been supposed that all de-
sirable Government land in this vicinity
was filed upon years ago, and the an
nouncement that there was still chance
for people to establish homes upon the
public domain ana close to civilization
caused wave of excitement. Several
settlers have already availed themselves of
the opportunity offered. On the other
hand, 'land sharks" and surveyors, who
have either had their eyes upon this tract
or who do not propose that people shall
have the chance of settling anywhere
without paying fees into their pockets,
have asserted that the statement was un-
reliable and highly colored, and that, as
matter of fact, this tract consisted of bar
ren, rocky and worthless land, incapable
of cultivation.
THE CALL correspondent has visited this
land and is prepared to speak authentically
of its character. 1t is situated on the top
of the Santa Ynez range, at an elevation
OF 1900 to $500 feet. A half mile from its
eastern boundary are excellent roads lead
ing down into the valley. The range fiat
tens notably in this vicinity, and while it is
true that a considerable quantity Of the
land is "on edge" consisting of steep and
rocky hillside or abrupt gulches, and that
there are other barren and stony tracts, q
considerable quantity is level or lightly
rolling, with deep, rich soil. No other
range intervenes between it and the ocean,
and the view from all points is picturesque
and beautiful in the extreme. There are
many springs of water, although to supply
a large population it would be necessary OF
desirable for settlers to combine. The
frost rarely touches here; the land is ex-
posed to the sunshine and the climate the
year around is delightful. In fact the
summit of the Santa Ynez will at no dis
tant day be known as a great sanitarium.
There is rich growth of oak and cha
parral on the tract. In every 160 acres
there are from two or three to forty or
fifty acres of the best tillable land suitable
fruits, berries or early vegetables. Olives
would thrive almost anywhere.
The drawbacks to settlement are the
lack OF connection with road, the need of
developing a water supply, the altitude
(Which latter has its compensations), and
the distance from settlements. No one
should go upon it without being prepared
to make the necessary Improvements and
to wait several years for an income from
the property.
An Eastern surveyor, a resident of Santa
Barbara, who has carefully plated the
tract and is acquainted with its character,
will locate actual settlers upon it free of
charge Considerable valuable land in
close vicinity to this has been dishonesty
acquired by dummy settlement, one man
alone having come into the possession of
1000 acres in this manner. Such parties
are naturally interested in keeping out
honest Spttlars