The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-02-07
EMPIRE OPENED
TO SETTLEMENT

One of the most important move
ments of the past year tending to the
population of the western country and
the exploration of agricultural re-
sources almost directly tributary to
Reno, was announced yesterday when
it became known that the Nevada
California Oregon railway had added
a land and immigration department to
its force and would Immediately in
augurate activity for the purpose of
bringing settlers into a stretch of
country where over a million acres of
good farm land is now occupied by but
1000 families, says the Reno Journal.
The advertising and exploration of
this land, with it's settlement on a
ration obtaining in well settled locali.
ties, means ultimately the augmenting
of the population that will pay tribute
to Reno in this section alone, by from
5000 population at present to not less
than 10000 in the next few years-a
population more than one half the pres
ent population of Nevada.
From a standpoint of population the
prospect is bright enough, but from
the standpoint of the wealth that can
be produced from acres now idle,
hardly a limit can be prophesied.
Yesterday, with the appointment of
l.. +. Curtis, a well known real estate
and farm land man, to the post Of land
commissioner, the N. G. o. inaugural
ed a campaign that will bring the ter
ritory from Reno for a distance of at
least 200 miles, as prominently to the
eye Of the prospective settler as is the
land of Oregon or Washington already
attracting many settlers. Starting from
Reno the country is a series of fertile
valleys in which anything can be grown
that will thrive in a temperate zone.
Much of this territory is open govern
ment land vastly superior in every re-
spect to Central Oregon, to which the
peoplpe are flocking by thousands.
The N. G. o. extends to Alturas. 1t
has been extended a distance of I3
miles and an additional twelve miles
to Davis creek, in the southern end Of
Goose Lake valley, is nearly finished.
The road management contemplates at
no distant time the complete extension
of the road to the Dalls, in Oregon, near
the boundary between Oregon and the
state of Washington.
1t is not doubted that in the next
year or so the country through which
the N. G. O. runs will be booming.
Spectators are already looking to
Klamath Falls as a coming center, and
that is sufficiently distant to do no
damage to Reno as a tributary point.
The method of operation of Mr..
Curtis will be those used by other land
and immigration departments. Book
lets and circulars will be issued, adj
vertising will be done; parties of immi-
grants will be taken over the field and
before long a sturdy class of practical
farmers viii be rooted to the land.
A great deal of the public land in
the vast inland empire between the
Sierras and the Rockies is already TAX
en- up, but there is yet considerable in
northern California and northern Ne
vada in Washoe county. Before many
years the land will greatly appreciate
in value. In Nevada, through the
Carey act, large sections of land are
set apart and put under development
by large corporations, and 1000. 900
acres more will soon be available I'M
der that act if the law before the pres.
ent congress passes.
L.. +. Curtis, the new land commits
sioner, is well acquainted with the con
ditions over which he will have domi.
nation. For some time he has ex-
plotted the country personally and he
brings to the work a thorough knowl-
edge of the conditions and methods
best suited to bring it to successful
elimination.