East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-09-30

What promises to be n complicated
and unpleasant affair is being develop
ed in the matter of the handling of
state land contracts under the Carey
act in Oregon, according to Portland
and Salem papers.
The recent refusal of State Engineer
John ii. Lewis to sign an application
for patent for the Pilot Butte lrriga-
ton company, set the state papers and
state officials to thinking about the
matter and II develops that great reck-
lessness and great carelessness in the
fulfillment of the land contracts has
been INDUCED by some one.
When the Pilot Butte company APP
piled for the approval of the state en-
gineer indorsng their reclamation
work i'm order to secure for them
patent to S4.7O7 acres of land. the
company had not built canal within
25 miles OF n large portion of the land
under their contract, although the
contract says that each separate tract
under their contracts shall be supplied
with sufficient water To produce or
binary agricultural crops, Seventeen
miles of main canal Is now constructed
but none Of the laterals for the main
tract have been built. and yet the state
was asked to approve their applica-
ton for patent.
Under the Columbia Southern tract.
patent has been issued TO 10000 acres,
upon the approval OF A. h. Hammond,
who acted for the state and who, 1t Is
said was also a member nf the CO.
lumbia Southern company at the time.
Application for patent for 5000 acres
more has been made, and settlers
coming from there declare that there
Is barely sufficient water to lrrigate
1000 acres adequately.
The state Is back of and responsible
for the completion of these contracts
and is responsible to the settler FOR the
reclamation of this land, and while
the companies are doing the work and
selling the lands, Gin many instances
under false representations), yet the
settler is led to believe that II is the
state which is doing this.
This matter promises To become
state scandal II II Is not closely guard
ed and II the state land board does not
take action in checking the attempts
OF the companies to shirk the require
ments of their contracts
While neither the state nor the irri-
CATION companies have received any
thing excepting a provisional title, de-
pendent altogether upon the reclama-
ton of the land, yet the companies
are sending out circulars advertising
the sale of bonds, and have taken
dummy notes from intended settlers,
In advance of the reclamation OF the
land and are exhibiting these notes as
evidence of the sale of land, 10 stimu-
late the sale of bonds, II Is said by in
yestors who have received these circu-
lars.
The entire matter rests with the
state land board. and settlers who are
purchasing these lands, with promise
of sufficient water to irrigate them
should be safeguarded by the board,
II seems
The main object of the Pilot Butte
company, Il is declared. In trying TO
obtain patent was to begin charging
interest on their investment, although
over half of their main canal was not
constructed at the time and the law
SAYS interest shall be paid by the pur-
chasers dating from the reclamation
of tue land which would be the date
up0H which patent is issued.
The entire matter, II is contended by
those familiar with the contracts and
with the work being done. is In need
of a vigorous, business policy from the
state land board, which so tar mas
given little heed to the matter
About $4,000 acres In Crook coun-
ty is involved under these various ir-