Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-22
HOMESEEKERS
ALLEGE FRAUD
YUMA LINERS ASSERT THEY
WERE FLEEcED
CLAIM "LocAToRs" MADE SOME
MONEY ON DEAL
Order Issued by 6allInger Abolishlng
Numbers Given Out by Police
Will Be Resisted to the
Last Ditch
toontinued from PAGE onel

CONTINUED from Page one)
and he is so determined to possess one
of the forty-acre tracts that he de-
clared he would be among the first to
institute legal proceedings to contest
filings that would conflict with the
rights of those who are undergoing
privation to obtain a farm.
May File Contests
'If we, men and women who have
sacrificed and borne privation like sol
diers, are defeated in carrying out the
plan of first come, first served and
others file on the farms we have Sc
lected," said one patriarchial home
seeker, as he tugged at his chin whisker
and ehewed nervously on cigar stub,
1--WE will file contests against their ap-
plications. If IL is necessary we will
appeal to the federal courts over the
head of Ballinger and seek our rights
there. We were led to believe by the
circulars we received in response to our
written queries that a line would be
formed and that those who were in 1t
would be recipients of the 173 parcels
of Yuma land.
True, there is a small percentage Of
men represented here who may be
classed as spectators. l can count
four men within my range of vision
now who 1 have set down as specula-
tors, but this is something we cannot
halt. There are Spectators in every
thing"
Here the old mans talk ended alb
ruptly. A messenger boy entered the
room out of breath and thrust a yellow
envelope into the fingers of H. II.
Bacon, chairman of the committee
which telegraphed Sunday to Secretary
of the Interior Ballinger and Senator
Frank P. Flint, asking them to do all
they could to recognize the police num-
hers and line instead of the order of
Secretary Ballinger which directed
Register Buren, to Rent hall or a
ball park to conduct the parceling in
Faces wreathed in smiles blanched
when the yellow sheet of paper flut-
tered from the envelope. A kissing
sound of indrawn breath, and here and
there a sigh or n half stifled groan was
heard That slip of yellow paper might
dash their hopes, or it might raise
them. Neither knew which, and none
dared ask.
Chairman Bacon mounted a box be-
fore he opened the ominous yellow
paper. He waved his hand for silence,
and then perused the message before
making known its wording. His eyes,
raised a moment later, told neither
its breath, and then emitted 1t with
sigh. Read it," came voices from all
over the hall. I'VE can't stand the
suspense" cried one of the women.
Bacon, slow and ponderous, read the
message in a monotone, as II puzzled.
Then he exclaimed: why, 1T is noth-
ing; it merely confirms what we al
ready knew"
Here is the message:
III Fl Bacon, Landseekers' Commit
tee: Regulations for orderly and eqult-
able opening Of Yuma lands nave is
sued. Line and numbers forbldden.
The occupants of the room were
stunned apparently for a moment.
Then, they too, realized that the
message, which was signed bennett,
commissioner of lands simply con-
firmed the message received Saturday
night by Register Buren, from Secre-
tary of the Interior Ballinger. The
room Instantly filled with a buzzing
of questions, and when lank land-
seeker. wearing the star of a special
deputy sheriff, shouted, What *shau
we do, stick?" there came one massive
voice, you bet we will stick.
They Will Remain
Chairman Bacon calmed the land
seekers with a gesture, and announced
it was 1.-The concensus of opinion that
we remain as we were.
I'VE will not regard the cards given
us by the police only for our own
guidance" he said, but we Will main
tain our line, and we Will wait. we
are not fighting the government, nor
Secretary Ballinger. All we ask Is talr
treatment and square deal, ana De-
lieve we will get 1t"
When quiet had been restored, w. S.
McMannon, holder of the right of the
line, his ticket being No. l, suggested
that as many unfair, conflicting state
ments We're getting into the pubic
nrint il might not be a bad idea to
r11if v,
His suggestion was placed in the form
of a motion, and when it had car
ried Don Orrill, chairman of the
sIiners": H. H. Bacon, chairman Of
the telegraph committee; c. c. Clark,
treasurer, and c. r. Bunker, secretary
of the organization, were selecleu as
the committee.
After this came the statement that
ticket No. "A, which is in the possession
of Police Captain Dixon, had been can
celed. The line has been closed up by
the man possessing ticket No. As NOV
ing up one, and so on down the line.
Chief of Police Galloway was lit
tie amazed when he learned that gos-
sip had connected his name with one
of the places in the line.
ct is ridiculous and scarcely worthy
of q denial" was his comment.
Register Buren, received no informa-
tion Yesterday from his superior, Fred
bennett commissioner of lands.
1.-THE message received by Mr.. Bacon
confirms the one 1 received from Sec
retary Ballinger," he said. His tele-
gram to me said that my instructions
were in the mail. Until receive them
shall be unable to say how the
Yuma land will be parceled. l may be
directed to rent a hall or ball park
How the land is to be parceled, L do
not know. 1t may go in a drawing
lots may be drawn where there are
two or more applicants for the same