The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1910-05-06
LONG NEGLECTED LAND
In the Sinlahekin Valley Being
Improved and Made
Valuable.
FORMER INDIAN ALL0TMENTS
That Embrace Some of the Best
Fruit Lands to Be Found IN
Eastern Washington.

Last winter several of the Indian al
lotments in the Sinlahekin valley, sit
uated between Loomis and Blue lake,
were put up for sale by the Indian de-
partment to the highest bidder. More
beautifully located land, so choicely
adapted to fruit culture, can not be
found in the state. The valley is mar
row, sheltered on the east and west by
high ranges of mountains, with cold
ume flowing through the center The
allotments cover every available acre
OF tillable land for several miles. At
the time of the Moses treaty this land
was cut up into several allotments and
assigned TO Indian claimants. Except
ing in one or two instances these claim
ants never attempted to occupy or
utilize this land, and as a result this
large stretch of territory has remained
fallow and unproductive, coveted by
the white settler, but as completely
out of his reach as if located in a for
eign land. Efforts have been made in
years past to induce the government
to take some means to open this land
to settlement, but it was not until
Hon. Geo, j. Hurley, of Loomis, took
the matter 'hand last summer and
enlisted all of his energies into the
effort that the Indian department was
induced to act in the premises. After
much procrastination and red tape un-
tying, the powers that be favorably
considered the application, with the
result that portion of the allotments
were disposed Of, ample provisions be-
ing made to secure the best of the
land in much more restricted tract
for the claimants.
Among the purchasers was Mr., Hur-
ley himself. He took the matter up
originally with the hope of securing
some of this land that has been so at
tractlve to the eyes Of travellers for so
long a time, and fortunately he has
had his hopes realized. The word for
tunately is used because Mr.. Hurley
did not invest with the intention of
permitting his purchase to remain idle
and unimproyed until the land grew
more valuable by the lapse of time, or
was made more valuable through the
eXertions of others. He put in his own
means, and induced others to follow
his example, with the object of hasten
ing an increase OF value by cultivation,
irrigation and and the planting of
fruit Among those who invested at
his solicitation and upon his repre-
sentations were some of his relatives
in Portland, and they elected that Mr..
Hurley should have charge of and i'm
prove the possessions as his judgment
dictates, Mr. Hurley is now engaged
in currying out the plans that he has
had in contemplation. He will clear
such land as he can use to the best ad-
vantage, is having the ground broken
out, and will arrange to convey water
from Sinlahekin creek upon that best
adapted to fruit growing and which
can be the most conveniently and rea-
sonably covered. He is not man to
do things by halves, and in few years,
if he is spared to superintend the
work, the thinker, familiar with the
old order Of things, will be surprised
at the transformation he will work on
those old Indian lands.