Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-12-11
NOT AS MUCH LAND
AS ADVERTISING
Large Share of Umpqua Forest
Reserve Appropriated Be-
fore Opening.

cember 21, 1908, and subject to en-
try. under the public land laws, on
January 20, 1908, is being widely
circulated through our leading
newspapers.
w. B. Sherman, the well-known
timber man of Grants Pass, Ore
gon, is being besieged with numer-
Gus inquiries, both personal and by
letter, as to the character and value
of these lands.
To keep himself well informed in
regard to all timber movements, Mr..
Sherman secured an abstract show
ing all the vacant government lands
in the tracts supposed TO be opened.
1t shows that the government has
but something like $500 acres to
offer for entry, instead of $1,000
acres. About $4,000 acres of this
tract had been disposed of before
the reserve was created.
1t would appear for once, at least,
that our government is advertising
to open for entry lands that are al
ready patented.
Mr.. Sherman is unable to under
stand why the land Office officials
should send out an advertisement
stating that there are $1,000 acres
in the tract to be thrown open for
entry, when, as he has been well in :
formed, there are only about $500
. anG by far te greater portion
of this, is in all probability worth
less.
serve was created by executive or
der July l, 1908, and had all the
The Umpqua National Forest Re-
lands within the exterior boundaries
Jeen part of the reserve, would
have contained about 91,.0O acres.
But it must be remembered that the
Umpqua valley was settled many,
many years ago and during the last
so years, it has been searched, as
with fine-toothed comb, for lands
worth settling upon. This settle
ment, taken with the fact that every
alternate section was included In the
grant made to the railroad at the
time of its building, has reduced
the area by something over $4,000
acres. This leaves less than $500
acres, and it is probable that the
majority of this was left because of
its worthlessness.
There can be, thanks to Mr. Sher-
man, no question as to the advis-
ability of the government excluding
these $500 acres from the National
Forest Reserve. II is a necessity to
have our reserves thoroughly pa
trolled by government fire rangers
to prevent forest fires. To patrol
$500 acers, principally worth
less lands, scattered over eight
ownships-would require a small
army OF rangers.
Common sense would tell anyone
who stopped to think Of the matter
that. II there were any considerable
areas of timber or fruit land avail
able for entry, the tens of thous-
ands of inhabitants of the Umpqua
Valley would quickly locate on them.
Inasmuch, however, as there is
really such a small amount OF land
to be opened for entry and this land
of so little probable value, 1t would
really be doing an injustice TO the
public to allow to be published
| broadcast statements TO the effect
that 1000 acres of land will be
thrown open for entry, when but
$500 acres are to be opened.
On account of the great publicity
given the notice in the newspapers.
| North, South, East and West, II is
believed. and the belief is founded
upon the large number OF inquiries
received, that a large number OF per
sons throughout the United States
have probably left their homes,
given up their positions, and sold
! their little all, to go and secure a
home in the free lands offered them
by the government in the Umpqua
Forest Reserve.
No doubt. these combined losses
will run up into the hundreds Of
thousands of dollars. These losses
as a rule. will be bourne by citizens
of the United States whose circum-
stances compel them to make liv-
ing for themselves and their famil-
les by their hands, but who are anx-
ious 10 better their condition.
1t would appear that each and
everyone Of them would have reason
to complain in that the United
States government allows to be cir
culated. through the leading news
papers Of the country, statements
which are misleading. The adyeF-