East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-03-20

Settlers under the government rec
lamation service projects have be-
gun receiving notices that call their
attention to a matter which looks
somewhat different now from what
It did when they first saw it put in
print, says the Boise Statesman.
Under the provisions of the home
stead act of June II, 1902, the act
appropriating the receipts from the
sale and disposal of public lands to
the construction of irrigation works
for the reclamation of arid lands, IA
provision was made that the land
so reclaimed was to be subject to the
regular homestead entry. but that the
tracts might be from 40 to 100 acres
for single entries. The original
homestead law gave out claims OF
full 100 acres each, and any one who
failed to get a full claim might add
to it later. provided he could find
unclaimed land contiguous to his
first claim, by buying a rellnquish-
ment or by forfeiture of another
claimant. But this new law, while
authorizing an original entry of 100
acres. further gave the secretary Of
the interior to reduce the holdings
of settlers under the reclamation SER
vice to so or even 40 acres, if 1t was
shown to the department that the
land was of such value as to make
the smaller tracts sufficient for
maintaining a family.
T,tr tn
the secretary Of the interior issued
circular in September, 1909, instruct
ing all land office registers to write
on all reclamation service entries
thereafter issued: This entry al
lowed subject to the provisions of
the act of June II, 1902" above
mentioned. This has been done, but
1t has been looked upon as meaning
less.
Notices have been sent out to
number of the settlers oil the govern.
ment reclamation tracts, however,
advising them that the provisions of
the act are still in force, and that
they should select the so acres, and
the 40 acres of the tract on which
they filed, which they wish to retain
in case the government wishes to
reduce their present holdings. This
will affect the settlers on the Mini
doka tract, the Poise- Payette tract,
and any others where the govern
ment may take charge Of the recla-
nation.
AS most of the land so affected is
still In its raw state, with very little
improvement, It will not be a serious
hardship--save that Il reduces the
chances for becoming a rich man
through the ownership of a full quar-
ter section of irrigated land. The
government has not definitely said
that the holdings were to be cut down
but the settlers are asked to pick
out the parts Of the land they wish
to keep, In case the reduction is
made for each settler. Where the
land is all tillable and reasonably
close to town the holdings may be
cut down to 40 or so acres at the dis
cretion of the agents who will later
go over the ground for the govern
ment Where there is some waste
land on the quarter section there Is
little likelihood of any division heing
ordered. But it is presumed that all
the settlers are receiving the same
notice. so as to give them chance to
get ready.
The land that Is cut off from any
part of the original entries will go
back to the government fer home
stead entry.
No circulars have been sent to the
land office, as they are not con-
cerred in the matter: they know of II
only through the settlers who have
brought or sent in the circulars direct
from the department.
This does not apply to any of the
Carey act lands. like the Twin Falls
projects, but only to the government
reclamation projects.