The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-05-04
NCLE SAM never in the history
of the nation was more pro-
1t

OF the nation was more pro-
" fuse in his provision for the
home builder than he is today. The
love of the soil is inbred in the race.
1t is responsible for the pioneering
spirit which has ever sent men west
ward, driven the frontier toward the
setting sun, and built up in the Missis-
sippi valley and beyond an empire
now just on the eve Of it's fullest
greatness.
This year will be marked in the his
tory of the homeseeker and settler.
The government will on June Is open
to settlement under the United States
homestead law over 100000 acres of
land in the foothills of the Wind river
range and on the plains of Wyoming.
Any freeborn citizen of our country
can secure his quarter section free of
cost, for the nominal land Office fee
and the sum OF one dollar and fifty
cents an acre in easy payments. and
Washington is now ready to give in
formation to all inquirels.
The region covered by this rescrva-
ton is being rapidly brought within
easy reach by an extension of the Chi
cago & Northwestern railway to Ian
der, in the Lander valley. Here the
government land Office is situated and
the allotment of claims next June will
probably be made here and at Sho-
shoni.
This is enc Of the finest grazing dis
trlcts in the west and it is quite prob
able that the region will with the new
railway facilities develop into cattle
and sheep feeding region greater than
ever before.
Would Sustain 5.oOo,o Go People.
n fDf Nf yx-J,; sol, I,r
an area OF 1890 niles, has sufficient
agricultural ana mineral resources to
sustain an army of 100000 people,
yet the estimated population is o.ly
10000. Wyoming today has more
miles of railroad and more natural adj
vantages to attract population than IL
linois. Iowa, Wisconsin and MichIga n
possessed III 1880. The state is inter
sperced with fertile valleys and rolling
plains covered with nutritious grasses,
which furnishes excellent grazing land
fol- stock raising. The climate is
healthy, and the medical profession
throughout the country is becoming
more generally cogn;Zant of this fact
every year. Tie soil is light sandy
loan in the upland, and in the valleys
has n dark, rich appearance, which
when irrigated produces bountiful
kinds. Wyoming has an area of 49,
100000 acres of land that is subject to
entry under the government land laws,
and 100000 acres Of this is suitable
for agricultural purposes when prop
erly irrigated To the state of Wy
Oming is largely due the credit for Sc
curing the act of Congress which pro-
vides for the reclamation of the arid
lands of the mountain states. Under
this law the revenue derived from the
sale of public land goes into fund
for building reservoirs and canals for
the storage Of water and the irrigation
of lands that nature fails to provide
for. The government has placed over
$27,000,000 to the credit of this fund
b. and a large proportion of this amount
is now being utilized to irrigate two
big projects in the state of Wyoming
The most important one is the Sho
shone irrigation proposition, for which
the government has appropriated 81.
100000 to complete. The other irriga
ting proposition Is known as the Nortl
Platte project, which is now under
construction, and will cost the govern
ment 100000 before the water car
be turned into the bitches.
It is conservatively estimated tina
$10,000000 will be spent during thu
next decade by the federal govern
ment in carrying out irrigating pro
jects in the state of Wyoming. which
have already been submitted for con
sideration. The amount of good thi
great undertaking will do the stat
and humanity in general cannot b.
correctly estimated. Thousands o
workmen will be given an opportuni
ty to take up land and at the sam
time secure employment from the gov
eminent in constructing the big resel
voirs and bitches. By this method tn
workman who ventures into the Ian
of opportunity is guaranteed stead
employment and at the same time ha
a chance to take up quarter sectio
of land and improve it during the cor
struction ct the irrigating ditch. Or