The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-08-06
INDIAN LANDS COST
TOO MUCH
CLAIMS AVERAGE PERSON REG
ISTERS UNDER A MISAPRE.
HENSION - EXPENSES ARE
TOO HEAVY.

Business men who have investigat-
ed the possibilities of the land draw
ing on the Spokane and Coeur
d d'Alene reservations state that the
average man makes his application
under misapprehension, says the
Ellensburg Reporter. They say that
the average man from Ellensburg
who has filed an application for this
land could not comply with the re-
quirements to prove up on this land,
even if he drew one of the farms.
Several business men in discussing
this question figured it out and
agreed that the actual cost to prove
up on any of the medium priced land
would be $4,000 and that the cost of
the better class of lands would. easily
reach $4,000 or $4,000.
The government requirements to
prove up on one of these tracts are
severe. The first payment of 81 an
acre totals 1920, besides the legal
fees, surveys, time lost and other in
cidentals.
The land ranges in value from
$3.50 to $13 an acre. In figuring the
total cost of a tract the medium
priced land at 81 an acre was taken
as basis. This land would then
cost $112O per 160 acres. The gov
ernment requires that the entire 160
acres be fenced the first year, which
would cost approximately $3.50, for
a cheap, two-strand wire fence.
A well would cost about SIS, and
rough cabin and barn at least $3.50,
as the necessary lumber would have
to be hauled many miles. The gov.
ernment also requires that 10 acres
be broken the first year, which wOuId
require horse and farm implements,
costing at least $3.50.
AS the land is raw land now, with
out any growing crops, and as the
government requires that the winner
live On it for IA months, it would
cost at least $500 for supplies during
that period.
Most of the men who have gone
from Ellensburg to register have
been mechanics and men drawing
fair salaries. The IA months that
they would have to live on this prop
erty would make them lose salary
amounting to about $500. In ad-
dition to this are the various fees
that will have to be paid and many
other incidental expenses, which will
easily bring the total cost up to
$4,000
Most of these men are going into
this thing blindly," said prominent
business man today. Several of
them have come to me and asked to
be given more time on their bills in
order that they might go these to
register. These men have not 500
laid away and could not make a first
payment on the land
''The land has been advertised as
free land, whereas in truth the cost
Is entirely beyond the average work.
ingman. 1t takes a man with $4,000
or $4,000 to finance the thing and
even then they could not get single
cent in return under two years. After
they do get crops they are many
miles from a railroad and can't get
good prices for what they do grow.
It would be far better for these men
to put what money they can get to-
gether in raw land here. They will
have money coming in before the
pople on these reservation lands have
a title to their property. And what
Is even more vital, they are near to
the big markets and can always get
good prices for what they can grow
Would BE Register.