Imperial Valley press., 1910-03-26
LAND COMMISSIONER
Chamber of Commerce Urges Appoint
 ment of Mr. Satterwhite.

A special meeting of the El Centro Chamber of Commerce was held last Monday night to consider questions concerning the adjustment of land matters in the valley. A committee appointed at a previous meeting to prepare a petition for the appointment of a special commissioner reported, and the Chamber adopted unanimous ly the following
 To the President of the United States and the Secretary of the Inter- for. requesting that a land court of first instance be located in Imperial Valley and praying that the functions of such court or special commission be exercised by Raymond H. Satter- white.
 To His Excellency William H. Taft, President of the United States, and Hon. Richard A. Ballinger, Secretary of the Interior:
 The undersigned citizens of I'm perial County, California, respectfully beg leave to represent that several thousands of citizens have accepted the Governments invitation, through the Desert Land Act, to acquire homes by reclaiming desert land, and have spent their time, their labor and mon- ey in faithful fulfillment of their part of the contract, relying upon the ex- plicit promise of said act that pat ents should be issued to them in con- sideration of and immediately upon proof of their compliance in good faith with the requirements of said act;
 That many of them have presented such proof, which has been accepted and is undisputed and Have been en- titled for years past to patents, but patents are withheld because of the failure of the Land Office to adjust erroneous surveys and reconcile cer- tain conflicts arising from uncertain location of State school lands, to the great injury of many settlers, and to the general detriment of the commun- ity;
 That notice has been given that no patents shall issue to lands in any township in which there is any con- flict as to location of school lands, which connotes still further unreason- able delay in fulillment of the gov nraffc tcn fn fn those who have performed their part of the contract;
 That the condition of business in the Land Office at Los Angeles precludes any possibility of an early adjustment of conflicts and promises only more delay, not only in the matter of school lands, but in all other land matters and cases arising in and affecting Inn perial Valley;
 That the hearing of Imperial Val ley land cases in the Los Angeles Land Office entails needless inconvenience, hardship and expense upon the people of this county, and burdens said of flee with more work than it's reduced clerical force can perform satisfac- torily or with reasonable expedition.
 Wherefore, we respectfully pray that a special commissioner, invested with the power to hear and determine in the first instance all questions af- fecting the validity of claims and ti- ties to land in Imperial Valley be appointed and stationed in Imperial County and provided with such as sistance as may be required to insure the prompt disposition of the busi- ness of his office, and that if no ap- propriation for the expenses of such office is available, fees sufficient to meet such expenses be collected as authorized by law. Your petitioners beg leave to recommend Special Az ent Raymond H. Satterwhite as the man peculiarly qualified for the of- flee of Commissioner by reason of his experience, his complete knowledge of the conditions of land titles and claims, his good judgment and his en- ergy, the confidence of settlers in his integrity and fairness, and the appar- ent confidence reposed in him by the General Land Office