East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-15
ON TO HERM|sT0N
WIDESPREAD INTEREST
IN ARID LANDS.
Over 100 Walla Walla People Coming
to UmatiIla County TO Take Ad-
vantage Of the Excellent Opportu-
nifty in Western Portion Of the
oounty-HermistOn Attracting Set
tiers From All Directions.

The following from the Walla
Walla Union on the opening to set
tlement OF the Umatilla reclamation
project shows the widespread public
interest in Umatilla's irrigated lands;
Nearly 100 landseekers from Walla
Walla and vicinity are preparing to
go to Hermiston. Ore, during the next
20 days to take advantage Of the
thousands of acres OF irrigated land
that are being thrown open to home
stead, according to the recent act of
the Washington land office which
lowing each homestcader but 40 acres
must be used in the arid region that
comes within the scope of the Una
tllla reclamation project. says the
Union.
Previous to the announcement. 20,-
900 acres of land had been filed on
by quarter section homesteaders, but
three-fourths OF this land will now be
again thrown open to settlement.
The government reclamation pro-
ject near Hermiston aims to reclaim
$4,000 acres OF arid land in that vi
cinity by means of irrigation obtained
from the waters of the Umatilla river.
The project is now practically COM
pleted, the dams, bitches and power
stations having been constructed. and
an immense reservoir formed. When
the first announcement that the gov
ernment would reclaim this area was
made. settlers flocked to Hermiston
and located on the most attractive
quarters.
Before the decision Of Register w.
w. Roberts was received, but 5000
acres in the more undesirable por-
tions of the reservation remained
open to settlement. With the APP
proach of the completion of the pro-
feet, advertisements brought hun
dreds Of settlers from the east, who
came with a view to locating on the
irrigated tracts; but found on their
arrival that the sand hills had already
been appropriated by early comers.
To relieve this congested con-
ulllOU, lne bONSIhiiChl uSSiuSu ~
make room for the settlers by declar-
ing that the land should be divided
into farm units, 40 acres being the
maximum which one man could
homestead.
At the present time the land is
practically arid, the soil being light
land. Where this land has been ir-
rigated 1t has proved to be extremely
fertile, growing the choicest of fruits.
A value has already been placed up
on 1t at $3.50 to 5000 an acre, al
though It costs the settlers but $62
per acre in 10 payments. Those who
are purchasing land in that locality
now, with a view to future irrigation,
conservatively estimate this land to
be worth at least $500 per acre
within four years.
Yesterday eight persons left this
city for Hermiston to look over the
proposition with view to locating.
The best riparian water rights are
given by the government to the set
tiers. Several irrigation projects are
now In the course Of completion by
independent companies, their lands
also being attractive propositions for
the prospective fruitgrowers.
Some of the government land will
not be open to entry for two or three
weeks, as the homesteaders are given
80 days In which to select that por-
tion Of their holding which will COM
prise their farm unit.