The Imperial press., 1905-08-12
TO TAKE PROOFS AT IMPERIAL
Move To Have Land Department Send Officer Here For Purpose Of Co-Operahng With People In Proving
 Up On Their Land

weeks behind -in Investigating aaproof the proof is made and crossquestiOns the claimant and witnesses himself. So it is clear that neither the expense involved to the Unised States in making the investigation nor the irregularity of taking the proofs before others than the Register and Receiver is permitted Yuma Valley, and we presume this state Of affairs obtains all over Arizona or at least the Tucson Land District.
 This shows that the Land Depart ment is accommodating itself to the operation of it's business under the regulation of March, 1904. providing for investigation of these proofs when taken before other officers than Regis ters and Receivers and that it is possible for the people to make their proofs before the nearest County Clerk or Clerk of a Court of Record, or United States Commissioner, and for the Land Office to cooperate in having the proofs so made and in giving the entryman his final receipt promptly and without delays or hold ups.
 The state of affairs obtaining in Yuma County, Arizona, gives those people the same conyeniences enjoyed by the people of this Valley during the con- tinuance of the United States Commis- sionership at Imperial, and gives rise to the hope that something can be done by which our people may be saved the enormous expense of trips to Los An geleL to attend to this business.
 With tbis end in view, the matter has been fully discussed and plan Set on foot by which a Special Agent of the Land Office may come to Imperial at stated intervals and take these proofs. The matter has been taken up by State Senator Ward of San Di- ego; Congressman Smith of Bakers field and senator Frank P. Flint, have also been interested and the matter is
 
 1 Washington.
 We realize that the great stumbling | block in the way of issuing final receipts Is the errors in the old survey and the necessity for new survey and new system of land descriptions before the receipts can be issued, as they must contain correct descriptions of the 1 lands entered. All is being done. per ! lo l,nN I. matter of the new survey, but while 1 this is going forward the people are compelled to go to the Land Office at Los Angeles to make all their proofs.
 A great many entries i'll this Valley were made in 1901, and all of these must have final proof made on them l during the present year. Owing to the tact that all final receipts are suspended pending the new survey, these proofs are merely filed and action on them ,lelayed iii the new survey becomes ! effective Under all these circnm- stances, it seems that the Land Office could readily arrange to send repre- sentative to this Valley to take these 1 proofs, as we'll as the Land Office at Tucson can send their Special Agent l to Yuma to attend the taking of proofs 1 there.
 One 0i the arguments advanced why ! the C0mmisslonership at Imperial i should he abolished, was that it would entail expense on the government un- l justly, to compel them to send out their i Special Agent from Los Angeles to eX- anime these proofs made in Imperial, and therefore the entrymen should be compelled to go to Los Angeles with 1 their witnesses and make their proofs at the District Land Office. 1t was a questiOn of who should pay the bill the government or the settler. No such question appears to be raised against the Yuma Valley settler, but he is per- mitted to make his proofs before the officer most convenient to himself, and the Land Office co-operates with him in securing title to his land in the most direct manner.
 We hope that the difficulties in the way ani the disadvantages under which the Imperial Valley people have worked in their efforts to secure titles to their homes may be speedily overcome and our people be placed on the same foot ing as other people i'll other places, where different conditions prevail. There certainly is way to solve these difficulties and simplify these matters and we trust that an officer from the Land Office may soon be established in Imperial to meet the situation. Our people are entitled to all the favors Uncle sam has to bestow Their brave work of 0esort ro0alnnt iC suRo;o,,t