The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-07-11
INDICTMENTS FOR THEM.
Fraudulent H0meSteaders- Many Lo-
eating Benton Lands-A
WOman'S Plan.

WOHioh NioHs
Corvallis Times.
Scores OF people are filing on home
steads in Benton county at the present
time. In many instances the parties
filing are not residents OF the county,
and do not intend TO occupy the lands
but in the main are homesteading tim.
ber tracts for the purpose OF selling the
property as soon as title is acquired. OF
interest to those and to others is the
fact that in Montana recently large
number Of persons were indicted by
United States grand jury for a similar
proceeding. Helena, Montana dis
patch of recent date says: The United
States grand jury made a final report
tonight, returning l02 indictments. They
are almost all against land locatore in
the Missoula land district, and charge
perjury in swearing that they filed up
on lands for personal use, whereas they
transferred them soon after securing
title. The persons indicted include
school teachers, ranchers, servant girls
and in fact all classes OF people,"
The locations in Benton are very sim
liar in character. On account Of the
timber craze, the rush for homesteads
is so great that nearly all the best lands
have been claimed. One family that re-
sides about Portland recently seized
whole section under the homestead act.
It is said to be one Of the best timber
sections in Benton county. The mother
has quarter section, the son another, a
widowed daughter third and still an
other member the fourth and last quar-
ter in the section. The mother was in
Corvallis the other day. She said "Yes,
we have located on our section. We
have built shacks near the center OF the
section, so that all can be together, and
we have slept and cooked in each OF
them. The cabins are lOxl2 with no
floors"
When told that the law required
parties TO live on the lands habitually
and TO use them as a home, she said
"Now that would be a shame. My
daughter has two little children who
ought TO be in school and il we should be
required TO live out there and make the
land our home il would be a great in
Justice. Why il we had to actually re-
side on the homestead, that would be
impossible for us to take It,"
Two sisters residing in the northern
part OF the state, each has quarter |
section in process OF hohiesteading in |
Benton. Scores and scores OF others like
the lady whose daughter could not reside
on the land are homesteading quarter
sections wherever they are 10 be found in
the country, nearly always with a view
Of selling the lands 10 timber sharks
rs soon as the patent is re-
ceived from the government. OF
course they will get the title,
provided nobody enters objection. But
after the title is secured, nobody knows
what day United States grand jury
may get on the rampage and stir things
up in the same way with the same re-
suits as that one which returned l02
against servant girls, school
teachers and others at Helena, Mon.
ANA.
Concerning homesteading. the land
aw says: An ineeptiye right is vested
N the settler by the proceedings herein
before described. He must, within six
months after making HE entry, establish
nis actual residence in a house upon
he land, and must reside upon and
the land continuously in ae-
,ordanee with the law for the term Of
ave years. Occasional visits 10 the land I
1nce in six months or oftener is not
residence. The homestead party must
actually inhabit the land, and make II
The home Of himself and family. as we'll
as improve and cultivate IT,"