The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1910-01-29
TO IRRIGATE DIAMOND VALLEY
Salt Lake Capitalists Arranging
For Large Tracts of Land
Under Carey Act

Fred T. McGurrin, Q banker Of Sal
Lake. accompanied by his wife. ver,
arrivals in Eureka from that city satur
day. Sunday morning they left here b,
private conveyance for DEVILS Gate
about eight miles northeast of Eureka,
where Mr.. McGurrin has located tbs
waters flowing naturally from Roberts
Greek and its tributaries and ell other
waters flowing naturally through Devil.
Cate, to be stored by means of dam and
reservoir. This water Is to be conveyed
to points to be used on lands in Diamond
Valley. about Elk miles north of Eureka.
Mr.. McGurriu has already made ap
plication to the State Engineer for per.
mission to use the waters mentioned
above. as will be seen by advertisement
Published in this issue.
1t Is understood that Mr.. McGurrip
and associates intend taking up large
tracts OF land In Diamond Valley under
what is known as the Carey Act.
The following information concerning
how application is to be made for secur.
ing land under the Carey Act is given
by United States Surveyor. General
Matt Kyle:
"Under the law the State of Nevada
Is entitled to dispose Of 1000, 900 acres
Government land. The Carey Act is
not understood by people not directly
interested in the taking up Of Govern.
ment land and many Of them gain a
false impression in regard to it when
they seek to locate and they think that
their applications should be filed with
me. when as a matter Of fact they should
be filed with the State Surveyor-Gen.
eral. Charles Deadly. Of Carson.
Now, in order to get this land the
persons desiring il have o map made
showing the amount Of land they desire.
They file this with the State Surveyor
General, who petitions this Office to
have the land surveyed il it is not already
surveyed. then file a petition with the
Land Department for instructions and
permission to survey this land, and when
that is granted l proceed to let contracts
for the survey OF the land in question.
This takes some time, but | want to say
right here that although this Carey Act
Is new to us, it will mean the desert
wastes OF this State being transformed
into fields and orchards and will make
Nevada u Of the greatest agricultural
States Of the Union. After the land is
surveyed the State files the applications
and IL is sold.
"Under the old homestead Act q set
tier could only take mp 100 acres. and
under the new irrigation Act Of Con-
gress a settler can only take up 800
acres. This is all right. but what would
a poor man do with 100 acres or 800 acres
Of desert land without any capital to
arrange for irrigation. He would starve
to death, aud as a result Of this very
little desert land has been reclaimed.
"Under the Carey Act q corporation
or an individual capitalist can petition
the State Surveyor General for thous
ands Of acres. The State then secures
the land from the Government and sells
it to the person applying for it. This
money goes into the school fund Of the
State and thus the State is directly
benefited. The land is then taken over
by the capitalists, who build bitches
and reservoirs or dig artesian walls and
put water upon the dry land. He can
then divide the land mp among thous-
ands OF settlers. thus bringing thousands
Of inhabitants to our State and making
the State lands produce iu enormous
quantities. All Nevada land is rich.
but 1t needs irrigation. aud the Carey
Act enables capitalists to come in and
arrange for the irrigation"