Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1903-04-02
LaGrande, Or.,, March 2S' 1908

LaGrande, Or.., March 2S, 1913.
The Heppner Gazette, Heppner'
Oregon.
Gantlemen:-I herewith enclose you
n COPY of letter of instructions received
at this Office relating to the Withdraw
Of certain lands in my district, nnoer
the act of June IT, 1902; the lands being
withdrawn temporarily for the purpose
OF investigation, as set forth in the en-
closad cony. There appears to be a
considerable rush OF home seekers to
avail themselves of the homestead
rrov,sion of this act and believing that
the Government has taken some dehnlte
stens thereby insuring that the proposi-
tion of irrieating these lands will be
carried through to completion; it has
come To NV notice that certain parties
are advocating that the proposition OF
the government is one OF permanency
and are inducing homesteaders 10 locate
on these lands and are charging ex-
orbitant fees for locating the no
steader.
The official knowledge that | have IS
10 the effect that these lands are only
Temporarily withdrawn pending an IN
yestigation by the government officials
as to the feasibility of the scheme and
so far, its investigation would appear to
form the conclusion finally that the
original idea in view would have to be
ssfagRaddeenp sssfagRdeenpedi ior ard rev reservoir sites
water to irrigate these lands; from the
information at hand. it would appear
that intending homesteaders should be
very careful before exercising their
homestead right, as it appears that these
lands are desert lands and parties would
be unable to make a living thereon
pending the investigation and should it
be decided favorably, the completion I, f
these proposed works.
I believe that the letter from the
Secretary should be given as much
publicity as possible and should be
carefully studied by each intending
homesteader. With this idea in view,
would request that you publish the
letter of instructions, giving it such
official sanction from my Office as you
deem proper. Very respectfully,
E. w. BARTLETT,
Register.
SECRETARY HITCHCoCK's INSTRUCTIONS.
You are hereby directed, in addition
to the instructions contained in office
circular of September 8, 1902. to call the
especial attention of all persons that
have made, or are intending to make,
homestead entries on lauds that have
been, or may hereafter be, temporarily
Withdrawn for irrigation purposes, to
the following statement:
The withdrawal of these lands is
principally for the purpose of making
SURVEYS and irrigation Investigations in
order to determine the feasibility OF the
plans of irrigation and reclamati
proposed. Only portion Of the lands
will be irrigated even if the project is
feasible. 1t will be impossible to decide
in advance of careful examination what
lands may be watered. if any. The
mere fact that surveys are in progress is
no Indication whatever that the works
will be built, and this fact cannot de-
termine how much water there may be
available, or what lands can be covered (,
or whether the cost will be too great to
Justify the undertaking, until the sur
veys and the Irrigation investigation is
completed.
Attention is also called to the fact that
ali entries made upon the lands referred
to are subject 20 the following PROVISION