Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-12-18
NI;Z PIERCE LANDS.
About 5000 People are Now Up
on the Coded Area.

on the CcUcU Area.
Spokane Review.
The new settlement on the Nez
Perez reservation coded lands ag-
gregates about 5000. There have
been rumOrs that distress would
prevail in the remote districts when
winter came. Your correspondent
can testify from personal knOwl-
edge that such apprehension is
grOundless. The settlers are of
a sturdy class of pioneers who have
had experience in more uncon-
genial regions of the great west,
and while they have few luxuries,
they have an abundance of the
necessarics of life.
In the immediate vicinity of
Nezperce City there are 400 home
steads. About half of these are
held by married men, and the land
laws of the government discrimi-
nate against the man who has
wife and children. The bachelor
can hold down homestead by the
regulation scmi-annual visit, and
at the end of five years can secure
a patent, SO far as the legal re-
quircment of actual residence is
concerned; but the husband and
father must faithfully maintain
literal, and not constructive resi-
dence, upon his homestead after
the first actual settlement, which
must begin within six months from
the date of filing. This discrimi-
nation is the effect of the rulings
which fix married mans resi-
dencc where his family resides,
whilo single man may engage in
business in one place and MAIN
tain residence in another.
The land Office ruling which re-
quires the family to remain upon
the homestead without Interrupt
ton, while it may not occasion
hardships in this instance, deprives
many families of society, and keeps
', the children out of school, while
r the districts arc in process of de-
!, velOpmcnt.
There are not many comforts fol
the family in the homesteader's
:, shack at best, but the adults could
', endure the privations for the bless
= ings of future homes and persona
independence; but the loss of OPP
= portunity for education for thu
. children is deplorable; and this il
the greatest of the hardships appa
rent on a journey over the grea
reservation.
= A FAVORED SECTION.
g The sum of the experiences of
0 year has heightened the fame of thu
Is reservation as a land of future hap
il Ply homes. The last winter wa
d extremely mild. The intermoun
c tain basin is subject to chinool
d influences to degree that hat
|. never been established until afte
e the closer observation of actua
e residence. The snowfall last win
ter did not exceed that of the Pot
lie latch prairie, and, like that favor
is cd district, the reservation is fire
/, from billiards..
3 The settlers found the summe
l. every way deligh tful. The quail
II ties ofmountain atmosphere whic
n impart vigor and healthfu Ines
lie prevailed, and all kinds of crop
k grew abundantly. The virgin so
:. is tenacious, and the crops of tn
1t first year suffered from this disat
D. vantage; but even the drouth {
s. last summer did not materiall
lessen the yield of grain hay O
vegetables. Wheat which wa
sown as late as the Goth of Jun
matured perfectly fair harvest.
,e The absence of frost in the a,
te tumn is a peculiar condition thu
he prevails over large areas of thi
ae fair domain. Until after the cot
OF of November the pumpkins, cor
and tomatoes were not frozen
the gardens near the rivers, creek
e, and canyons that bound the broa
: level prairies. This region is til
id fruit belt. 1t promises to be tn
id natural home of the winter appl,
,ts There are some small orchards O
es the breaks of the Clearwater, an
It. in them grow the most perfect az
az pies that have been seen in IL
northwest. They possess thu
quality of bookkeeping: Apple
of this season of the Ben Day
G. variety grown in this belt will kee
in perfect condition until Jun
This quality alone gives an unfai
ing value to the fruit. An app
of perfect color and flavor Thu
will keep whole year can alwa,
be placed in profitable marke
lon for it can be sent to the ends
5rs the earth. So the predictions of
on year past are fulfilled. The N,
Perez reservation will soon be
- productive and rich land of happ
we homes.