The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-07-05
TIMBER
LAND
FRAUDS
Public Policy in the Interest
of SPECTATORS.
Greater Cascade Reserve Just
What They Wanted.
New Base" Created for
Selection Of Lieu Lands
Means Gains of Thousands
of Dollars.


President Mckinley had added about
$50 square miles TO the Cascade reserve
ami as Il probably contains large
quantities Of railroad land grant lands
IL will afford still futher opportunity
for nonresident corporations TO sur
render them TO the government and
take up thousands Of acres Of Oregon's
best timber lands in exchange for them.
That is the law under which Oregon
timber lands have nearly all been
grabbed.
Oregon has not had delegation in
Congress or in the Senate In many years,
who had the ear Of the administration.
who offered a word Of objection 10 this
system Of transferring large bodies Of
our most valuable timber 10 corporations
and syndicates, robbing the state and
the settler Of the public lands, in the
name Of protecting ourforest reserves"
Here is what Prescott, the Salem rep
resentative Of the Oregonisn says -
When President Mckinley added
JAP 900 acres Of land TO the Cascade
Forest Reserve yesterday, he put thous-
ands Of dollars in the pockets Of timber
land spectators. BY increasing the size
OF the reserve he created new "baee"
for the selection Of lieu lands, and land
that was heretofore Of comparatively
little value suddenly acquires a trade
value because IL can be exchanged Tor
timber land. Forest Reserve base is
the best that can be had, and is worth
from $3.50 10 $3.50 per acre While
there is no record here TO show that all
OF this I42, 900 acres is in the hands Of
timber land speculators, the record in
the State Land Office shows that all the
school sections we're taken in 1899, and
II is probable that the record In the
Land Office at The Dalles will show that
all the Government land was also taken
that year or early in 1900.
The purpose Of adding this vast tract
Of land 10 the reserve was 10 protect the
source Of water supply Of the streams
that flow from this reigon. Those who
we're interested In the project procured
petitions signed by nearly all the inhab-
itants OF the reigon through which the
streams flow. Upon the representations
made in the petitions, Superintendent
Orntby was directed 10 90 TO the land
and after inspecting IL, make a report to
the department. Captain ormsby made
an inspection and reported favorably
upon the proposal 10 add the land to the |
reserve His recommendation were
made many months ago and the matter
has been awaiting the Presidents action |
In the meantime, however, spectators
have had ample opportunity 10 20 upon |
this land and secure title 10 II, 40 that
when IL should be added TO the reserve
they could use II for the selection of tim.
her land.
The manner in which the timber
land speoulators made their profit is
shown In the following dispatch an.
nouncing the Presidents action:
Under the terms of the proclamation, |
issued today, persons who may have set |
tied upon lands that are within the |
limits Of the added area at some past |
date, and have completed or hereafter |
duly complete their entry, will be pro
teoted In their rights, but after today no
person will be- allowed to acquire any OF
these lands whatever.
II these lands have all been taken, as
they probably have, the protection"
mentioned will be nothing more nor
less than permitting the so.caled set.
tiers to exchange the land for other
lands II they wish TO do So
The dispatch today iurthersay
An attempt was made 10 add 10 the |
reserve q much larger area than is pro-
vlded for In the Presidents proclama- |
tion. These lands were found 20 be |
largely covered by homestead entry, |
railroad and state grants, and Cor this |
reason Il Was deemed expedient 10 In. |
clude them In the reserve. There was
ample evidence that the settlers on these |
lands were not permanent residents, |
but had gone In Tor purely speculative
purposes.
An Investigation will doubtless show |
that the land covered by the procls-
nation has also been settled by per
sons who were not permanent resi-.
dents, but had gone in for purely spec.
ulaliue purposes"
The action taken by President Me
kinley and the natural consequences
OF his proclamation were expected by /
those who give attention to such mat
teres. A resident Of Portland, inqulr
ing OF friend in Salem regarding the
purchase OF the lieu lands. was advised
10 secure . slice II the land in the strip
added 10 the reserve yesterday. lie
was assured II he. secured a piece oi
this land all he would need TO do would
be 10 wait until Il had been added 10 the
reserve, when he could exchange Il lor
timber land or sell Il 20 some one who
wanted "bAse. The iacts la regard 10