East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-04-01

After an exhaustive hearing and the
showing Of indisputable facts before
the commissioner of the general land
office It is now a matter Of official
record at Washington that the sup
posed desert lands of central Oregon
will produce profitable crops Of grain
and that the country will support a
railroad. says the oregon Daily Jour-
nal. The railroad builders of the
country are expected to take notice
and no longer to permit the largest
area in the United States now without
transportation facilities to continue
for another year without a railroad
giving central oregon an outlet to
Portland.
VIII Open Vast Area.
As a result of decisions made by the
interior department affecting projects
OF the Harvey Valley improvement
company and the Pacific Livestock
company the government will this
year throw open to homestead settle
ment about $1,000 acres of good val
lev lands in Harney county
The commissioner of the general
land office has completed a review OF
the case of the Pacific Livestock
company VS.. the Harvey Valley I'M
provement company, and the result Is
In effect a victory for the livestock
company. as it declares the proposed
irrigation plan OF the Harvey Valley
Improvement company to be imprac-
ticable. and decides that large part
of the lands applied for are non-des-
ert lands.
The lands in question lie in town
ships %, 2S and "a south Of range S2
east. in the jurisdiction of the land
office at Burns. The Harvey Valley
Improvement company proposed to ir-
rigate the lands and applied to the
state for segregation under the
Carey act.
The Pacific Livestock company op-
posed the application, and contender
that the lands were capable of pro-
ducing good crops without irrigation.
and also that there was not sufficient
water available in the Silvies river to
properly irrigate the lands in mid"
summer.
The department heard evidence OF
experts in irrigation and geological
formation, also farmers who are rails
ing good crops on unirrigated lands
In the vicinity. The states applica-
ton in behalf of the Harvey Valley
Improvement company is refused and
the lands will be thrown open to
homestead entry
II was shown by testimony Of James
Mayberry, special agent of the interior
department, that on certain tracts ne
found moist soil within three inches
Of the surface; that on all the tracts
classed as non-desert he found luxur-
liant growth of sagebrush and rye
grasses that in some Instances resem-
bled fields of growing grain. On land
owned by an individual and surround
ed by the lands of the proposed irri-
CATION tract, he found hay yielding
several tons per acre; that on some
of the lands that had been fenced and
kept free from stock grazing, profit
able crops of small grain were being
grown without irrigation.
VIII Produce Good Crops.
Further evidence in support Of the
theory Of oregon boosters that central
Oregon will support a railroad was
furnished by farmers in the country
around Burns. Jasper Davis testified
that he had resided in Harvey coun-
ty 22 years; that on some OF the land
located less than two miles from the
segregation applied for and in the
same kind of soil he is growing every