The daily sentinel., 1905-08-28
THE HOMESEEKERS RETURN
WITHOUT WAITING TO FILE.

This morning Henry e. Frost,
G. w. Stong. John O'Boyle, Olaf
Oleson and a Mr.. Emerson, the
members of a party of Grand juno
tion people holding desirable numbers
in the Uintah land lottery, who left
this city week ago for the reserva-
tion on tour of inspection. arrived
home having satisfied themselves
that it would not be to their inter
ests to file on any land in the Uintah
reservation. They Will relinquish
their rights. making no efforts fur
ther efforts to secure claims.
The statements these gentlemen
make confirm and substantiate the
reports given by many others who
have visited the reservation. There
is very little desirable land and what
land there is available could not be
put under irrigation save at a very
high cost.
Mr.. Frost states to the Sentinel
that the party Quilted at Dragon, all
making the trip from there to the
reservation in the big wagon of Sam
Preston. a resident of the city. The
party reached the reservation Tues
day night and early next morning be
gan their tour of inspection.
Discouragements had come their
way from the start. Scores of people
who had made visit to all or some
parts of the reservation met them
and told them that they were going
/ back to where there was something
worth having. Mr.. Frost says that
nine out of every ten men they met
were knockers.
The party visited the northern and
eastern portions and saw but little
| good country that was open to settle
ment. They made a trip along the
Duchesne river and along the course
of this stream there was some desir-
able land but it was owned by the
Indians. The other lands were bar
ren.
In the dry gulch Mr.. Frost says
they came upon rather pretty val
ley, containing perhaps $4,000 acres
of very good land. but on investigat-
ing they found there was not enough
water to irrigate one half of this val
ley.
In the Blue Bench country, de
clared to be one of the best sections
of the reservation, there was some
good land especially on the high
mesas, most of this land is badly
broken ad in order to irrigate this
section, ii is estimated that the ex-
penditure of about S2,00O,00O would
be required.
The party expected to visit the
western portion but were discouraged
by many people who had made the
trip to. that section.
The very lowest cost of irrigation
on any land in the reservation is es-
timated by civil engineers atS3.O0
per acre, while it is estimated that
the cost of irrigating the Blue Bench
would be from SIS to $50 per acre.
Mr.. Frost stated that hte party came
upon some beautiful land near the
4 little town of FIT. Duchesne, embrace
ing perhaps six sections. The party
thought they had struck the true
land of promise but on investigation
found this land could not be irrigat-
at a cost less than $500 per acre.
The Strawberry valley was not Wis
tied on account of dscouraglng re-
ports,
Mr.. Frost states that Myton and
the country Immediately surrounding
it, is in his opinion, the best portion
of the reservation There is some
fairly good land near Duchesne.
The best land open for settlement
is that embraced in that portion OF
the original forest reserve which was
reopened shortlybefore the drawing
embracing a territory of $1,000
acres. If a man desired to make his
home on the reservation and could
find employment as teamster while
getting his land under water. he
might within period of five years
have valuable farm or ranch.
Mr.. Frost's number is 203, Stong
holds 1SS, O'Boyle 226 and the other
two gentlemen have numbers under
the 200 mark.
The party stated that people were
leaving the reservation about as fast
as they went in, many sorely disap-
hpointed.