The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-28

had cheated the east 70 pay the west.
Eight years ago the northeast quarter
of section >. township .. range l3 west,
was a 160-acre tract OF unclaimed govern
ment land No plow had ever turned its
virgin sod; since time began no man had
claimed this spot Of earth's surface. or
countless mnnons Of years, reaching far
back to the vehy dawn Of creation, when
primeval seas rolled over tns former
seabed. and later. when uncouth mon
sters roamed its tropical forests, and
from that Observation-Disclosures
from that dim time when the mammoth.
the buffalo, the cowboy and the red man
and the cowboy held sway over this spot.
no human haoitation-no home Of man
ever had consecrated this piece Of earth
to the needs. Of the human race.
But through al the vague cataclysms
Of remotest time, nature was slowly pre-
pairing spot for tac occupancy of man.
Wild seas of the P1iocene era had thun-
dered over its surface depositing salt
and stones from ravaged sea shores; the
Glacial epoch saw stately icebergs sail
down the midland sea, whose churniug
thud had smoothed its surface and
crushed the stone to powder. Later the
fierce earthquakes had reared tneir giant
chain Of Rocky mountains ana then the
great plains first saw the sun ana on and
on. a-down the slow moving centuries-
through rain and dew, herb and grasses
had built up the mould-the bones Of
countless generations Of wild or savage
beasts mingled with the humus until na-
ture rested from her work. awaiting the
advent Of fman.
And the man came on September IS,
1898 and claimed this square of surface
for his bime. There was nothing. how
ever, to aid him nj his struggle with the
world but grass, good soil and hope. He
owed the nation $50 for his claim. a
SCARE half-mile wide, of wild grass.
But hope and industry nerved him to
superhuman effort. Earl yand late he
labored. Hope urged him on and on and
he lifted up on his plow handles in his
eager haste to get his burrows turned,
and his plow dug deep down. Hope
plowed deep and nature smiled.
on June II. 1901, the man came to Au-
gusta to prove up on his claim. The ma
ton had given him in trust a piece of
unproductive land which the government
had valued IN 1888 at $50 and this was the
result.
This man has converted his square Of
grass or land into a home ana by seven
years of labor had increased its value
more than sixty-seven fold.
It mas been our custom when parties
were proving up their lande before US to
appraise their Improvements. In taking
testimony in final homestead proofs we
have to ascertain the value Of all i'm
provements made on the homestead. IN
this a conservative course has been adop-
ted, and the wen known business princi-
pie Of estimating value on a basis Of
per cent income or the dollar has been
followed. Thus. afruit tree that yields
q peck Of peaches at 20 cents a bushel
gives a value of s. a tree.
The man gave IN twenty-five acres of
fruit and forest trees: 40o0 bearing fruit
trees at 81 each. 5000; 500 grape vines
in fun bearing. $1t00; other improve
ments, buildings. breaking. etc. s., ,240:
Total value sl0s4o.
After nature had worked 500 million
years TO create a value Of $3.50. which the
nation invested in a gift. a free home 70
2 man, the man by seven years labor
enriched both nature ana the nation by
increasing the Eift TO a total of sl0.4So
Are free lands q coed national invest
meut?