The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-01-24
E LETTER YEAR.

year 1SO6 will witness development
in northern Montana that will max
!, 1t the greatest year in her history
At no time since the advent OF tn,
railroad in 1887, and the opening o
the great reserva alton country, ha,
there been such an encouraging situa
ton as at present.
The announcement that the fedora
authorities will soon invite bids upor
the first construction work for the
MIX river irrigation project was the
hrst good news Of the year to be re-
ceived by the people of northern Mon.
tana; and now comes word that the
northern part of the Belknap reserva.
ton, comprising 40, 900 to SO, 900 acres,
will probably be opened to settlement.
A bill to that effect has been intro.
duced in the senate by Senator Carter,
and it is believed there will be little
or no opposition to the measure.
The first section Of the bill describes
the boundary lines of the tract affect.
ed by the proposed enactment. The
second section provides that as soon
as practicable after the approval of
the act the secretary of the interior
shall cause to be constructed q canal
or canals, with the necessary laterals,
for the reclamation of all lands sur.
veyed which it may be found practi-
cable to irrigate by the diversion of
water from the Milk river, the lands
to be reel aimed 10 conformity with the
reclamation act.
Section 3 provides that after the
lands are surveyed the commissioner
Of Indian affairs shall select not to
exceed 5000 acres in compact form,
embracing the lands upon which the
agency school and other buildings of
the reservation are located, to remain
a part OF the Fort Belknap reserva.
ton until otherwise provided.
After this selection the remainder of
the lands are to be classified by the
agent or superintendent in charge at
Fort Belknap, acting in conjunction
with an engineer Of the reclamation
and in case of . disagreement |
decision of the commissioner of
Indian affairs is to be final. 1t Is |
provided that the classification of
lands shall be as follows: All land
possessed Of good soil and easily sus.
OF irrigation under the plan
of the reclamation service are to be
as lands of the first class.
All lands susceptible OF irrigation,
out OF inferior soil or difficult to irri.
gate, are to be put in the second class.
All lands above the canal lines as de.
'ermined for construction by the rec.
'amation service are to be designated
rs grazing lands.
All lands MOI selected or reserved !
by the commissioner of Indian affairs
are to be subject to entry under the
law in tracts not exceeding
acres. and in addition to the home.
fees provided by law, entrymen
pay for the lands OF the first
;lass the sum of 90 an acre; for the
'econd class Is an acre, and for the
'hird class, grazing lands, $3.50 an
acre. The payments, it 10 provided,
are to be In five equal annual install.
nents, the fret to be paid at the time
II entry, under the following coudi.
ions:
THAT the entryman shall at the time
II The entry Of any other than grazing
ands subscribe to and become asso.
hated with a water users' association
h water users district to be
ormed within limits co~extensive with
irrigable lands subject to home.
tead entry, which said association
vii be formed aud conducted under
ules and regulations to be prescribed
y the secretary OF the interior; pro.
ided further. that the laws of the
)nited States relating to the sale and
of coal lands shall apply
D any Of said lands not reserved for
use OF Indians upon which mer-
coal may be discovered, as
ontemplated by said coal land laws,
nd the proceeds OF such sales, if any,
hall be subject to the provisions of
ection 8 Of this act"
In section I provision Is made that
he settlers and the Indians occupying
.nds under the main canal may cause
he grazing lands above them to be
snced and used in common for pas.
are lands under regulations such as
ne majority may adopt, subject, how.
YER, to the right Of any person to
inter- any part Of these grazing lands
nder the homestead law under com.
with the provisions of this act.
When 70 per cent. of the grazing lands
hall have been entered under the
'omestead law the exterior fencing
omprtsing the whole shall be re-
1GVp1. nrOvi6o1 tho Jol;,o.