The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-03-16

in the grasp Of a little band Of m
Harvey county is land as little
known as the center of Russia to
the average American, and land
as fully under the spell Of vested
lords, and as thoroughly bottled.
Burns is the county seat. of Har-
ney county. Burns is 105 miles
rom the railroad; there Is not a
nile of railroad in the county, and
he county has in its bounds 10000
quare miles. A stage takes you
20 Burns, stage that travels for
q hours straight, stopping only
ong enough for an infrequent
meal and a change of horses. OF
every 10 men that start to Burns
eight quit third of the way in.
In the summer it is an air tight
stage, alkali dust, sand and burn.
ing sun. In the winter it is 20 be-
low and an all night ride in an
open spring wagon. You would
think that they would reverse the
process, but heavy stages can't
travel in the snow, SO the open
wagons come out when snow and
zero weather arrive.
Across three mountain ranges,
over waste places where only the
tired cattle and the sinking coy.
otes range, through great pine for.
ests, Gathering down narrow run.
nels of road where a slip of the
nigh leader means a drop of 500
feet.
1t is no wonder that eight out of
10 strangers turn back at Canyon
City, the last civilized spot this
side of Burns, with a days stage
torture ahead.
From the top of Cold Spring hill,
5000 feet above sea level, you
catch the first glimpse of Harvey
valley, a valley shut n between
great bare, bony ridges, valley
that reaches down south a hundred
miles to the lakes and Stein noun
tain, and a valley that is an oasis
surrounded by alkali, sand, sage
and forbidding woods. A river
threads through the center Of the
valley, a river that means life to
herds and crops and 10000 acres,
yes, a hundred times 10000 acres
Why is this rich land 105 miles
from a railroad?
Because there are no settlers on
the rich land.
Why are there no settlers?
Because there are no lands.
Why are there no lands?
Because a few men have grabbed
most of the lands and have as
serted their right to the little they
couldn't grab outright.
And why do these few men dc
this thing unchecked?
Because Harvey valley is val
ley afraid and for 25 years it has
learned to keep still and bear its
burdens alone, shut off from the
world and forgotten.
BY a thousand devices William
Hanley has secured control of sc
per cent OF the agricultural lands
Of this wonderful valley.
Hanley, backed by Portland
bankers, and, added by the
shrewdest lawyers in the big city
far over the hills, with the friend.
ship of national senators and with
the cooperation of the biggest
men in Oregon, has plucked from
the national domain, from settlers,
from the generations yet I'M
dreamed of, one hundred, two hun
dred, three hundred, four hundred
thousand acres--how many hun
dred thousand Hanley doesn't
know; he doesn't care. He is
more vitality interested in making
sure that not water hole, not a
mile of river frontage, not a good
quarter section in the valley is
outside his control, and leaving
aside his one powerful rival, the
Pacific Livestock Co., Hanley has
succeeded better than many a king
who conquered nation.
Hanley is that mysterious some.
thing known as a character. A big,
raw boned fellow. who can break a
mustang, who likes night herd rid.
ing; man who. in these latter
days. forms corporations to grab
land from the government, a man
who, In his tanned and more sedate
years. brings artists and literati
10 his big home ranch.
Hanley came to Harvey county
IN the early sos, before land laws
We're dreamed Of. He came from
jackson county to Harvey county
and started In the cattle business
On place Of 100 acres. Swamp.
ing has been pet diversion OF
Hanley, "swamping" being the
simple act Of swearing that land is
worthless because II is a swamp
and must be reclaimed. ana for
yOur enterprise. getting the land