The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-05-19
ADDRESSES LETTERS TO CHAM
BER OF COMMERCE REGARD.
ING THE PLANS.
A DETAILED EXPLANATION
Montana Senator Gives information
Relative to the Scheme for Filing
Upon and Drawing for Lands in the
Big Reservation as Outlined by Of
ficias Of the Land Office.

Senator Dixon has written letter
to the secretaries of the Mtssoula and
kalispell chambers of commerce, rela-
tive to the plan which has been
adopted for the opening of the Flat
head reservation Secretary Erfert
| received his copy Of the letter yester-
day and it was read with interest at
the headquarters of the chamber OF
commerce. The letter was written
last Thursday, the day that the gem
| eral plan was outlined by Judge Wit
ten of the land departments Since
that time, the plans has been modified,
IN so far as the registration is con-
cernea, but IT remains as presented
IN all other particulars. AS The
Missoulian's special dispatches have
told. the proclamation Of opening will
pc issued by President Taft next Fri
day and the registration method has
been changed SO that the entrants for
land on the Flathead reservation will
sign the roll only at Missoula and
kalispell, The following extracts from
Senator Dixon's letter will be of inter-
est at this time:
Judge Witten believes that as the
actual drawing will only occuy one or
two days and which, he says, has new
| er been a matter of Importance In any
reservation opening, that he will have
the drawing by lottery at some nen-
trail place like Occur dAiene city for
all three of the ,reservervations, about
August Is. Immediately following the
close of the period Of registration. This
will only take one or two days to
! complete. At sthe time a man reg
listers he will transmit his applica-
tion blank to Judge Witten at Occur
dAlene City, who will Immediately no
| tlfy the person registering by mall, as
soon as the drawing is completed on
August IS. that s those who have
| drawn the high numbers, and who Will
/ be entitled to the choice of the lands
| He said his experience lead him to
| believe that about double the number
should be selected for notification as
there are available homestead entries
on the reservation In question: as
many OF those drawing lucky numbers
| VIII not avail themselves of the op-
| portunits to really locate on the land.
Better Plan.
! las We expect many persons from
the east to come to the west to take
these lands, Judge Witten's belief is
that, after the lottery has been con-
| cluded and the persons who draw the
high numbers notified, 1t would be
better plan for the intending settlers
and for the local communities not to
have the actual entry Of the land
made until April 1st next, as this
would give intending settlers the OPP
| portunity to look over the tion,
| make their selections and return to
| their homes and dispose of their
property elsewhere, SO that 1t would
| not work hardship and inconvenience
and force sales of their property so as
to attempt to rush In and actually
make the entries in September. IL
| the entry should be made in early
September, it would hardly give the
settler time to get his house ready be-
| for winter set in and nothing would
really be gained by having them try
| to force settlement this fall.
| when he first suggested this mat
| ter it did not strike me very favor
| ably, but after fully discussing 1t with
| him, | am firmly OF the BELIEF that 1t
| will be the best thing for the intend
| ing settlers and also for the eonfnuni-
| ties that will be affected by the OPEN
ing of the reservation, if the outsiders
who draw the lucky numbers will
come TO kalispell on Missoua during
| the early spring and win have full
| time and opportunity to explore not
hytt law yj, b.,} l,
surrounding country. in their effort to
find new homes.
| VIII Be Ready.
Another thing that appeals to me is
| the fact that the irrigation projects
| that are now under course of con-
| struction will be ready to have the
water turned in next spring, and
those who secure homesteads under
the bitches would not have to wait six
months for the water FOR domestic
| purposes as we'll as for irrigation.
| The reclamation service under the law
| will fix the homestead unit fer those
lands which fall under the reclama-
ton canals. While the homestead unit
! will be l60 acres fer lands not under
the canals now being constructed by
the government, the probabilities are
that the reclamation service will fix
the homestead unit under the canals
at smaller area than the $50 acre
ordinary homestead. The lands that
| are withdrawn from entry and which
viii eventually be irrigated under the
| reclamation projects that will be con-
structed during the years 191o11 and
II, probably, cannot be thrown open
to entry at this time, as it would be