Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-05-01
AS TO ARID LANDS
GOVERNOR APPOINTS JOHN L..
MURRAY COMMISSIONER.
Need For Some Action Caused By Notice From
the Federal Government In Regard To the
Cancellation OF Two Selection Lists-Arid
Land Situation Is Considerably Mixed at
Present.

Olympia, April 29.-The Office of arid
land commissioner is to be revived in
this state by Governor Mcbride, the gov
ernor having secured in the person OF
John l.. Murray, chief clerk in the land
office, a competent man, who cOnsets to
putting up the $25, 900 bond required and
acting as the commissioner without sal.
ary. The office of arid land commits
siOner has been practically vacant since
1899, when the legislature failed to
appropriate money tor paying the COM
missiOner's salary or expenses OF the
work undertaken. o. r. Holcomb, who
was the candidate IN the Democratic
ticket for state land commissioner IN the
last election, had been acting as arid
land commissioner. He was appointed
by Governor Rogers in November, 1897,
and received $1,000 per year for his serv.
ices until March 81, 1899. Mr.. Holcomb
still retains at his home in Ritzville all
the documents and papers, plats, etc,
belonging to the office, as his successor
has never been appointed, and there has
been no one legally entitled to receive
such articles from him.
Necessity For Immediate Action.
All lululCuldJc nccu lOT Ill dIlu ldIlu
commissioner lies in the fact that notice
has been received from the government
at Washington that two selections of
arid lands made by the state OF " ashing-
ton ten years ago would be cancelled
within 80 days unless the state showed
good cause for not complying with the
terms OF the contract under which it
selected such lands. All the records
pertaining to these two lists are in the
hands of Mr.. Holcomb, and it is not
known in Olympia how much land is
embraced in the two lists. nor what
of work has been done by the
state towards irrigating the lands. The
Legislature OF 1898 appropriated $4,000
for planning, surveying and carrying out
the provisions of the act under which
the lands We're selected, and the legisla-
ture of 1897 apr opriated 5000 for the
same purpose, although $4,000 of the
last amount was allowed Tor the COM
missioner's office expenses. The state
auditors records show that of these
appropriations only $l5, l7l.S3 has been
the balance reverting to the
state treasury. The states ard land
law was first adopted in 1895, in order to
carry out the provisions of the a t OF
congress approved IN 1871, granting to
the state 100000 acres of arid lands.
When arid lands were selected under
the state and national acts, the state
was given 10 years in which to take GER
tain steps toward retaining the lands
selected. Two selections have been
made by this state, but the steps
towards retaining the lands have been
only partly taken, if at all.
Upon a proper showing the state can
secure an extension of five years in which
to accomplish the work. The appoint
ment of an arid land commissioner is
for the purpose OF giving some one au-
thority to take over the records OF the
office, examine into what has been done
and still is required, and if possible save
to the state the amounts which have al
ready been expended in the work.