Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-06-27
new LAWS FOR
LOGGED LANDS
The Provisions of New Law
Are Not Generally Known
Below Is Synopsis
TO OFFER INDUCEMENTS
County Commissioners Are
Empowered to Handle the
Business with Settlers


enacted law with the purpose O
aiding the transformation of logged
off lands into cultivated fields, will
view of also to have the settler
help himself. The law is framed tt
meet the exingincies in Western
Washington, and with what degree
of success it will meet depends en-
tirely upon the application of settler.
to use it. 1t is not a speculative pro
position. 1t means to aid the rea
settler, if he desires that aid
Under the provisions of the Law
the county commissioners of eacl
county are empowered to call an elec
tion for the purpose of creating wha
virtually becomes a municipality tt
be known as an agricultural Devel
opment District" Such election shall
be called upon petition of ten pei
cent of the electors within the terri
tory to compose such district. Dis
tricts may be formed taking in the
entire county, and may also be Great
ed in smaller areas covering the ter
ritory desired.
At the same election three "Agri
ucltural Development District" com
missioners are elected, who will have
charge of all it's affairs and serve
without pay. They are authorized tt
carry into effect the purposes of the
district, such as the development O
the land by clearing or irrigation
build and repair roads, purchase o.
manufacture materials and supple!
for sale to settlers at cost and ait
in the production and marketing O
farm products; in fact. almost any
thing for the development of the dis
trict and for the benefit of the set
tier.
All officers of the state, county an(
city, as we'll as the experts of oul
state institutions, experiment stations
and other institutions of learning, are
directed to use their Offices in aiding
the development and purposes of the
district.
To finance the district the voter:
living within it's territory may, b!
a three-fifth vote, issue bonds on {
2O-year plan of ~ per cent of the
assessed valuation and up to PEI
cent.
To eliminate all questions on ,nis
point, and that there might be nj
trouble in disposing of these bond!
at fair rates, the law practically put:
the state back of them. Bonds are
only to be issued as needed.
Various ways Of conducting the
work are provided. The district
commissioners shall commence an in
vestigation Of the unimproved agri
cultural lands to determine those
adaptable to clearing or irrigation ant
sale as agricultural land to settlers
Such investigation shall include 6
description of the qualities of the sol
and the locality as regards existing
highways and railways, and an esti
mate of the cost of clearing or irri
eating, the result to be kept on rec
ord in the office of the commissioners
and a certified copy filed with the
state department Of agriculture fol
public use and information.
The commissioners have power tc
purchase or otherwise acquire any un
developed agricultural lands within
their district, for the purpose of i'm
proving and fitting such lands for pro
ductive use, as provided by the act
at a price not to exceed $40 per acre
for logged-off land, and $25 an acre
for arid lands, and no lands shall be
cleared when the estimate exceeds
800 per acre.
Section 33 provides that "in nego
tiating for the purchase of unimprov
ed agricultural lands, whenever
there shall have been offered in writ
ing to a private owner certain price
and it shall be refused, the commits
sioners shall report that fact to the
county assessor forthwith, and the
price refused for such lands shall bt
considered by the assessor in respec
to such and similar lands in that vi
cinity."
Any settler being a citizen of the
United States may offer not to ex
ceed twenty acres for sale to the com
missioners, and if accepted shall
have the preferential right after suc(
lands are improved, to re-purchas'
and entry of not to exceed twent!
acres of such lands, notwithstanding
that he may retain ownership of 9th
er lands not offered to the commits
sioners.