The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-10-13
SPECIAL AGENT susTAINs SEN.
AToR eiesoN's CHARGES.
LARGE AREA IS WITHDRAWN
Desert Entries Suspended at Great
Falls Pending Investigation by
Department Representatives.

Great Falls. Mont, Oct. by m
order received this morning by the
register and receiver Of the local land
Office, all lands In Cascade county,
south Of the Missouri river, that are
in the Great Falls land district, and
two townships in the vicinity OF High
wood, are withdrawn from entry under
the desert land law; all desert entries
upon such lands, for which patents
have not been issued, are suspended
pending investigation, and it is prob
able, that patents issued, but not de-
livered, will be held, pending investi-
cation. Embraced In the withdrawal
is nearly all the land in this county
that lies south and east Of the Mis-
souri,.
1t is estimated that the order OF
withdraweI affects about 1,15O,oa0~
acres and that, within that area, there
have been filings, under the descent
land law, upon about 2Oo,OsO acres.
The area embraced within the sus-
pended entries is probably 4O,OnO
acres
It is probable that, in due time,
similar orders Will be made applying
to lands in Cascade county north Of
the Missouri, and also to much Of
the public domain in Teton, Ch0uteau
and Valley counties.
At the request of Senator Gibson.
who reported to the interior depart
ment that gross fruuds had beer and
we're being committed in this district,
under the desert. Iand' laws, Special
Agent Chadwick was' recently sent to
this city to make an Investigation,
and report. His report was g sensa-
tional one, sustaining practically ev-
cry charge made by Senator Gibson,
and the commissioner OF the general
land Office. acting upon that report,
made the order Of withdrawn and
suspension.
The commissioner; referring to the
special agents report, says:
HE says that the described, lands
are tablelands, Or high, rolling hills,
all having natural growth Of blue
Joint and buffalo grass, affording ex-
cellent grazing; and that it is imprac-
ticable to artiffcially irrigate them;
that no irrigation schemes, either pri-
svate or cooperative, are in practice
in that region; that he has found the
most wonderful crops of hay, wheat,
oats, potatoes and grain have grown
without artificial irrigation; that
where lands were enclosed he found
moving machines cutting the native
grass for hay.
Relative to the matter of final de-
sert proof, he says that many tracts
Of land in that vicinity have been
entered as desert yearly, and final
proof made therefor, and the only
to irrigation has often been TO pillow
some zig-zag burrows, or in some de-
preston, if there be one, place a few
stones sometimes two or three wa
gonloads), then a few loads of dirt,
and call the production a reservoir.
"The printed statements mentioned
are contained in the Great Northern
Bulletin, which is published at St.
Paul. Mimi, and are simply testimo.
malls of settlers residing in the vicin-
ity of Great Fails, Mont, as to the
fertility of the soil, the agreeable eli
mate, ETC., and each asserts that no
artificial irrigation is necessary.
"In view of the showing made by
Agent Chadwick. the land described
is withdrawn from entry under the
desert land law, and all desert entries
covering any of said lands will stand
suspended until investigated by the
special agent to determine their
bonafides.
"You will make the necessary
notes on your plats and tract books,
and after receipt hereof allow no en-
try to be made under said act, for
any Of the above described lands,
except in cases where the application
or claim vas initiated prior to receipt
of this letter in your Office"
American Bankers Association, San
Francisco, Oct. 2o-23, 1908.
: For the above named occasion the
Northern Pacific Railway company