The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-09-09
LAND MUST Be
NON MINERAL
Homesteaders Must Be Careful in
Selecting Claims.
RICHARDS IN WASHINGTON
TALK CONCERNING UINTAH Res
ERVATtoN.
RICHARDS IN WASHINGTON
Especial 10 The HeraIdl


lAE ASHINGTON. d. c., Sept. S-Land
w Commissioner Richards, who for
several weeks has been per-
sonally conducting the opening of
Uintah Indian reservation in Utah,
returned TO Washington today. Mr.
Richards says the opening was accom-
plished in a thoroughly satisfactory man
ner, without scandal of any kind, and
without injury to any interests. What is
more reports of settlements made since
he left Utah confirm what he said at the
outset, that there is much undesirable
and unattractive land on the reservation.
Out of the first 666 settlers entitled TO
make entries the first week only 446 en-
trymen actually showed up and made
Illlngs, and out of the first III entitled
to make entries, thirteen failed TO put in
an appearance. This in the commission
ers opinion. clearly indicates that many
OF those who We're entitled to make early
entries concluded after examining the
reservation, that the lands We're not worth
having and waived their right To take a
quarter section. Mr.. Richards is conf
Gent that IN time many of those who have
made entries will find the lands far from
what they expected and will relinquish
their entries and abandon the lands
Only Homestead Entries.
Commissioner Richards says that there
mas been some attempt TO make il ap-
pear that ders whose names
were drawn at the recent lottery will be
permitted to take - valuable mineral
lands during the siXty-day. period set
aside for demonstrating. There is no
foundation for this report, as those who
registered and whose names were drawn
are permitted only to make homestead
entries of agricultural land and will not
Re permitted TO take up mineral lands
II any homesteader has taken up a tract
that is partly or entirely mineral land
ne VIII be deprived OF every acre that is
chiefly valuable for its minerals Every
settler, when making final proof must
establish the nOn-mineTal character of his
lands. Sixty days from Aug. Is lands
on the reservation that are actually min
eral in character Will become subject 10
entry under the mineral land laws and
they can be acquired in no other way
and at no other time.
Raven Company Objects.
Lands controlled b. the Raven and
Florence Mining companies will then pass
10 their absolute ownership. the Florence
company already having paid the required
price OF 50 an acre for its lands The
Raven company is 1bjecting to paying
this price for its 2C20 acres, as required
by the land office and has taken an
appeal TO the secretary OF the interior
1t is expected that the secretary will re-
qulre this company 10 pay up at the
stipulated price or forfeit its lands. There
company.
While in Utah Commissioner Richards
says he heard some talk of gold on the
Cintah reservation, but there is no off
cial information which confirms this re-
port, and as far as the government au-
thOrities are aware there is no gold on
the reservation. The principal mineral Is
gllSOnite Asked if he would favor an
extension of time IN which settlers might
establish themselves on their lands the
commissioner replied in the negative. He
says those who make entries can 90 upon
their lands at once and there IS no need
of extending their time beyond February.
However, there mas always been a de-
mand for legislation extending the time
Tor such entrymen when other Indian
not be surprised II congress would pass
a special bill next winter giving settlers
until May or some later date next sum-
mer in which TO establish themselves on
their lands.
Lottery Was Fair.
AS evidence OF the fairness of the lot
terry system which was carried out in
opening the Uintah reservation. Commits
siOner Richards says there We're Sc 7da
registrations, and OF this number SIP
names We're drawn, one to every 653-l00
persons who registered. In all 2240 old
soldiers registered mostly by agents and
the names OF $50 old soldiers were drawn,
one TO every 622-l00 who registered. He
considers this the best evidence that the
lottery system is fair to ALL and as in
dicative that it was conducted without
bias.
All talk of Mormon control. Mormon
domination and that sort of thing only
disgusts Commissioner Richards He
says there was mucn effort made 10 con-
vey the impression that the ooening was
not fairly conducted. but such report is