Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-12-18
SEC'Y H|ICHCOCK'S REPORT
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT SHOWS
PECULIAR STATE OF AFFAIRS.
Northwest States Occupy a Prominent
Part of Report-AIIeged Frauds un.
der Public Land Laws Being lnves-
tigated-Over a Million Acres Of
Timber Land Taken Up.

Timber Land Taken Up.
Washington. D. C.-The annual re-
port of the secretary Of the interior, a
volume Of 2S7 pages, is ready for SUBJ
mission. OF alleged frauds and irreg-
ularities under the public land laws,
Mr.. Hitchcock says:
During the past year there have
been indicted and arrested in the state
of Oregon, charged with forgery and
conspiracy to defraud the government,
United States commissioner and
three others, the first being q woman.
The United States commissioner has
been removed from her office. and all
are awaiting trial by the court.
at is alleged that several hundred
entries and final proofs were made
before this commissioner under the
act Of March II, 1902. all of which
have been or are being examined by
officers of this department.
Forest Reserve Frauds.
Nearly a year ago information
reached the department which strongly
indicated >that frauds Of a serious ma
ture had been and were being perpe-
trated against the government under
what is known as the forest reserve
lieu land act of June 4. 1897, by a
combination Of land spectators on the
Pacific coast. The information and
indicated frauds were of so grave
character that l at once directed
thorough investigation to be made.
1T is the confident belief of those
In charge Of the inquiry that the
guilty parties will be apprehended and
speedily brought to Justice.
Timber and Stone Act.
During the fiscal year ended June
80, 1902, there were 4,022 entries un-
der the timber and stone act, en-
bracing 545,253.9S acres. while during
the last fiscal year there were 12,249
such entries, embracing 1,765,222.43
acres, an increase over the previous
year Of S,227 entries and 1,21s,96S.45
acres. The increase in the activity
of this class of entries affords food
for serious reflection.
'In the fall of 1902 reports of irreg-
ularities in the making Of entries un-
der this act, on the Pacific coast. were
80 numerous and persistent. that on
November IS of that year directed
the commissioner of the general land
office to suspend action on all entries
made under said act in the La Grande,
Lake View, Oregon City, and The
Dalles land Offices in Oregon, the Eu-
reka, Redding, and Sacramento Offices
In California, and Seattle and Vancou-
yer offices in Washington, until proper
investigation thereof could be made
and their bona fides determined.
Irrigation Enterprises.
"In Washington the great body OF
irrigable land is in the central part
of the state, within what Is known
az the Great Bend" Of the Columbia.
This land is below the level Of the
Spokane river, at the foot of Spokane
Falls. and may be reached by water
from this or other sources. II the cost
is not prohibitory. The scheme is one
of gigantic proportions. and its feas-
Utility can not be definitely determined
without careful surveys. Similar bod.
les of land north Of the Columbia, and
near the Okanogan river, can be re-
claimed probably at less cost.
'In Idaho, there are found to be sew
eral opportunities for retaining arid
land with the waters Of the Snake riv-
er and its tributaries, especially by
utilizing as reservoirs the lakes at the
beadwaters of the Snake. A large
tract of land has been reserved on the
Snake river desert in the vicinity OF
/ the town of Dubois, and another be-
low American Falls near Minidoka;
third project is that for irrigating
lands living between the Boise and
Payette rivers west OF the city OF
Boise.
During the year a very important
svstem Of irrigation, conservatively es.
timated to cover about 10000 acres OF
land on the Yakima reservation, In
washington, was authorized by the de-
partment and the same is now being
constructed under the personal super
vision Of the irrigation inspector.
"Recently decision was rendered
bv the United States circuit court for
the district of Washington, southern
division, dismissing the bill filed July
III, 1895, to enjoin Winans Brothers