The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-02-09
WESTERN LAND
FOR SETTLERS
Fruit and Farm Land in Oregon
Open to Homestead Entry
Tomorrow.
WATER RIGHTS EXPENSIVE
openinq of UmatilIa Region Border
ino on Columbia River Will Not
Materially Help People Without
Means-Big Rush On.

Means-Big hush On.
Portland. Ore, Feb. 9.-During the
last few days there has been quite an
exodus of prospective settlers to the
Umatila region on the Columbia Riv-
er about 100 miles east of Portland,
where about twenty thousand acres of
land embraced in the third unit of
the Umatilla irrigation system of the
Government, will be thrown open to
homestead entry at nine o'clock to-
morrow morning. Settlers will be al
lowed to take from ten to forty acres,
the size of the claims being fixed by
the government engineers in accor-
dance with the prospective value of
the land. The announcement of the
impending opening of the district has
attracted hundreds of prospective set
ties. who intend to go i'm for fruit
growing and truck gardening.
The climatic conditions arc said, by
the government experts, to be ideal for
the successful growing of early fruit.
such as cherries, peaches, plums,
grapes and berries. The soil is most
" "A volcanic ash, with a sand mix
ture, the same as i'm the highest class
of the northwest fruit districts. The
whole district depends for its water
upon irrigation by the system estab-
lishod by the government The water
is taken from a storage reservoir,
thus insuring irrigation water practi-
cally throughout the year.
In addition to the public lands the
new unit includes a considerable area
Of land owned by individual proprie-
tors. Under the reclamation law pri-
vate land holders are compelled to sell
out all their holdings in excess of 160
acres Homesteaders, who have gone
into the district since the beginning
OF the work on the irrigation project,
must relinquish all above the ten to
the limit for homestead holdings by
the Secretary of the Interior.
The opening of the district will not
materially benefit persons without
means. Water rights will cost the
settlers $50 per acre. OF this amount
$3.50 must be paid down for every
acre taken up, which amount includes
the maintenance charges for the first
year. The rest must be paid at the
rate of Sc per acre annually until the
total Of $50 has been paid off. The
average cost per acre for fencing, ir-
rigating and putting the land under
cultivation for the first year will be
about S43. AS the soil is at present
lacking i'm humus and i'm nitrogen, II
will be necessary to grow alfalfa on
the land for two or three years before
planting fruit or. at least, plant al
falfa or some other legumen in between
the young trees. This may make the
land little attractive for those who
investment. but the fact that private
lands under the portions of the gov
ernment project now in operation and
under several private projects in the
vicinity are now selling at SNout 5000
IN acre. would indicate that. fter all,
an investment in these irrig-, ID lands
is bound TO become highly profitable
In a few years. Those who know the
character of the lands assert that the
profits to be derived from these irri-
gated farms, once they are developed
VIII equal those of the other highest
class fruit districts of the North
west
The water for the government ir-
rsation project is taken from the Um-.
aulla River almost entirely at flood
umes In the spring. 1t is conveyed by
long canal To an immense storage
reservoir, known as Cold Springs res
ervoir From here the water is re-
leased into the irrigating canals dur
ing the cropping season. The main
canals and main laterals are built by
the government to a point from which
water can he conveniently delivered
through sublaterals to the individual
farms. The service conduits leading
" the farms must be built by the
se''lers, under the supervision of the
government engineers and must be
maintained so as To prevent waste.