The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-12-31
SALE Of INDIAN LANDS
The Old Moses Allotments
Near LOOMS To Be
Opened Up.
RICH LANDS FOR CHOICE FRUIT
A Section of the County that has
Remained in its Virgin State
Since the Birth OF Time.

Hon. Geo. j. Hurley stopped over in
Oroville Thursday of last week on his
way to his home at Loomis. Though
the exertions of Mr.. Hurley, it m y be
said almost singly and alone, the In
dian department was induced to take
up the matter of disposing of the old
Moses Indian allotment stretching
through the Simi.kameen valley from
Loomis to Blue lake n distance of a
dozen miles, embracing some of the
choicest lands in Okanogan county.
For years and this land has been held
by Indian claimants, who have never
lived upon the land, and the large rich
acreage has remained uncultivated,
unimproved and unproductive, draw
back to the whole country. Marriages,
births and deaths have so complicated
ownership that sorting out the bene-
fciaries is like trying to solve a Chi
nese puzzle. The Importance of hav-
ing this land thrown open to settlers
has been dicussed for ages, but no ac-
tive steps were taken with this object
in view until Mr.. Hurley took up the
matter with the Department of the In
terror. Even after getting the ponder
Gus machinery of the government
started grinding there were obstacles
to overcome, and it consumed year
getting the land on the market. Mr..
Hurley was appointed guardian to the
minor heirs, and it required patience
and much labor to locate those having
a legal iTsefsssI 4 IN s: =: -
that job was finished there was more
trouble in securing the consent of
claimants to SELL and even this could
not be secured from all of them, al
though they will not make use of the
land, the provisions under which the
disposal was to be made reserved so
acres to each claimant, and the cash
receipts were to be divided pro rata
among those having legal title to the
property. At last Capt. j. McA. Web
ster, who has charge of the Colville
Indian reservation, advertised for bids
for allotments j. and 3, of these Moses
agreement allotments, No. l, the Sar-
sarpkin allotment, containing 1890
acres; No. 2, the Comstock Poose al
lotment, containing $50 acres; and No.
5, the Julia Cecil allotment, contain
ing $50 acres. This sale took place on
Decemper %, and Mr.. Hurley was on
the outside to attend the sale. Allot-
ment No. was bid in by T. Ernest
Oates, of Portland, Oregon; Nos. 2 and
were bid in by Mrs. Letta Larbo-
wich, of Portland, A. L. Miller, of
Jefferson. Oregon, and Geo. j. Hurley
and Jack P. Forde, of LOOMS. The
bids have been forwarded to Washing
ton for confirmation by the Secretary
of the Interior.
While there is considerable of this
land that is adapted only to grazing
purposes, much is in the valley, and
there is no better land for fruit grow
ing in eastern Washington. A beau
tiful stream with ample water for ir-
rigating purposes flows directly thro'
the allotments, and at very little ex-
pense much land can be put under
water. Thus reclaimed, this land
will at once become very valuable, and
will repay the investment handsomely,
as it is understood that the successful
bidders secured the land at a nominal
sum, between Sl2 and $50 per acre, yet
all it is worth in its present condition.
If the bids are passed upon favorably
it is the aim of the purchasers to ar
range for an irrigation system, to be
followed by cutting the land up into
small tracts. When this is done homes
will be provided for scores of families
and the settlement and improvement
of the land will be fortunate event
for Loomis, as that place will derive
large benefits therefrom. Had these
lands been cut up and occupied ten
years ago, as they should have been,
Loomis today would be flourishing
and prosperous town.