Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-12-14
I'm THEWINTER
WHEAT BELT
Residents Are contesting the Legal.
ity Of Final Proof Upon Desert
Land Clairns
SUBSCRIBER" QUOT IS THE LAW
Earlier Settlers Were Ignorant OF
Possibilities, But Dry Farming
Has Proven Remunerative.
To the Editor Of the Argus.

To the Editor Of the Argus.
| Moore, Mont. Dec. 5.-As there
seems to be quite a bit of contention
and many erroneous ideas concerning
the matter of desert lands In this vi
cinity. | desire to call attention TO
a few facts that may be of interest
to others, as weN as the settlers on
the Rock creek bench and vicinity.
In the first place | will say that the
retaining OF land by actually irri-
eating it, as required by law, is not
always done in other parts of the
county. as well as here; but in most
cases the proposition differs from
that OF the Rock creek bench. In
such cases, where the land taken un.
der the desert act 1t not fit for farm.
ing, the claimant usually pays the
government about all the land Is
worth, and on the part OF honest
homeseekers will never be molested.
But here on the bench is a tract of
about 1000 acres of good agricultural
land that has been undergoing a
transformation from grazing to that
OF farming for number of years,
and with the best of results when
farming has been done right. lt is
a well known fact that a few ranch
men on the uper end of the bench
went 10 the trouble anu expense of
irrigating years ago and all of said
ranchmen found out afterwards tha;
crops could be raised without irri-
cation. and have continued from year
TO year TO raise crops without irriga-
tion, when at the same time they
had their bitches out and had the
water. Such ranchmen, who made
the demonstrations mentioned, have
rever been censured for taking up
desert lands during that stage OF
adaptation. II is well known fact
that the scanty water of Rock creek
is the only supply for the main part
of the bench, and that Its waters
have been covered tlme and time
again by water rights. Also anyon 9
could see and understand the settle
ment of homesteaders who located in
the Cummings neighborhood some
seven years ago. and have continued
10 open up their farms and raise
t"ops from year TO year with no AZ
tempt to irrigate.
So the settlements continued and
many who held desert claims relin-
quished them to be taken up by home
steaders, and received pay for all i'm.
provements and few hundred be
sides.
There are about forty homesteaders
en- the bench who did not take out
desert claims. and most of those. aG
well as those who come TO look at
the country. contend that there Ii
TO desert lands here on the bench.
Those in opposition claim different
ly, hence the great difference OF opin
ion.
Nov, after this brief description
wish to say that there Is much ignor
ance al the bottom Of all such con
tention, and that the proper place to
find where you are at, Is TO 90 and
inquire at the U. S. land office. But,
Judging by the doctrines as you heal
them expounded. one would think
that many do not care TO be informed
Probably the main clause governing
this bench land is the following eA'
tract from the law, viz:
| taL ,rsin nrnHInn n
ricultural crop Of any kind In amount
TO make the cultivation reasonably
remunerative are not desert
Some had desert claims assigned
, over TO them. while others claim that
they did not know what was required
, when they applied. Be that as II
may, ignorance excuses no one leg
ally, while IL might morally, and In
final proof there can not be lgnor
ance in what is sworn to. The appli
cation blanks all contain the follow
ing:
THAT said land will not, without
, artificial irrigation. produce crop ol
any kind In amount reasonably remun
eratiye." also that II is wholly unil'
, for cultivation without artificial irri
, gation," and that there are no lands
in the vicinity Of this tract that are
occupied by settlers and cultivated
without artificial irrigation, etc. IN
same application contains nole
which in part reads that "any person
, swearing falsely 10 the foregoing AMI
6ayit or to any Of the statements
therein. is guilty of perjury, and VIII
! he punished." etc. The final proof u
, quite similar TO the application, and
, includes the fact that IL has actually
been reclaimed, and that permanent
: water right Is owned, which IL sun,
= cient tn keen II thoroughly irrigated
. The result of the contests now IN
: question is of great interest 10 al
!. land owners on the bench and TO the
: husInass interests of our town ol
!. Moore. II those TWO claiins Will
: are in the central part oi me Deici'
|. are desert lands. then an me See.ie
= ment is also desert and all the iorilef
: statements of this being good WIN
!. fer wheat bench is untrue. and as a
result n could not be successfully
farmed and the land in time would
, he co,npelIed TO revert back to graz
, inc nronosirIon and be worth very
Low nrice AS II Is. however. Is Is the
nn,,ion of ALI homesteaders who are
A undertaking 10 open up tnelr iar,ils u.
: that the value Of the lands mere 10 ye'
!. in It's infancy. and that the iarnilng ,i
a as well as the markets, ,os WI, oon.lnne ,.n,S
10 develop. and that Improved meth,
ODDS will assist in making this one OF