Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-07


on the above occasion and by con-
tests now pending in the Blackfoot
land office. wherein certain bona fide
settlers have been caused unnecessary
expense which they can Ill afford to
bear and occasioned years Of delay In
securing their rights because Of the
antagontsm Of Carey act promoters and
the state land board of Idaho.
But, some one says, those settlers
should not have been so easily de-
ceived They should have taken time
to investigate, etc. Well, perhaps. But
suppose you were to emigrate to a
cyclone country. but had never seen
a cyclone. Soon a threatening cloud
comes up and while you are survey
ing 1t with uncertain determination a
prominent state official comes along
a man paid by the state to look after
the best interests Of it's citizens-and
tells you that there Is a destructive
cyclone coming; that It will sweep
away everything you have yourself
included. unless you got into hole in
the ground quick Wouldn't you act
upon his advice and run into the first
hole you came to, without stopping to
ask questions? And II that hole proved
to be coclatrice's den wouldn't you
be excusable for your failure 10 in
vestigate the truth Of what was told
you or the exact nature OF pour tenn
porary retreat7
Water Rights Sold Twice Over Same
Land.
The farce proceeded. water rights
were sold over land that was covered
by first water right. but had never
been covered with water, and hasn't
| ~ - -
and Is yet, occupied BY bona dde set
tiers.
They then filed mon In Missouri,
Kansas and Oklahoma upon public
lands in the state Of Idaho, while actual
settlers had repeatedly attempted to
for year and q half and could not
because II was unsurveyed land. But
the Blaine County Irrigation company
ana the state land board Of Idaho, be-
ing superior to the United States gov
eil ment, could and did accept filings
upon It
Nom Residents Make Final Proof.
The following summer, 1911. some
of the essiern investors came out to
make final PROOF On this unsurveyed
lard.
i One man borrowed q small wedge
tent in Arco and put It UP for a house
Some one told him that Il would have
to have board or single roof to
comply with the law so he tore some
boards off stable on the place ad-
Joining his and made a roof. He had
barely enough room in the tent to
sleep by lying lengthwise of It, He
took his meals with one of the set
tiers. He boosted that he had bought
the place merely for speculation and
wouldn't live here II they would give
him tho whole damned valley"
AS IT wouldn't do to leave the place
without some sort of habitation on it,
the day before he left to make final
proof and left the country for good. he
} cut chunk off shack on the place
! adjoining and dragged 1t over to take
, the place of the tent he was taking
back to Arco with him.
couple more came out from the
, east, occupied their little shacks for
: 80 days as required by law made final
proof and returned from whence they
, came. and, the place knoweth them no
| more.
Z Another man made nnai proof with
out ever having water upon the land;
within q half mile OF tho place. and
, isn't yet.
Another man armed with q stx-
, shooter. went In on land occupied by
q woman and land. too. on which there
was a prior water right: plowed and
planted a Drop. harvested and hauled
1t of and made nnal proof: never hav-
} Ing lived on the land or put any hind
I of building upon It.
The land board. with q run knows-
: edge Of tho situation. accepts the proof
. issues Anal certificate In each case
the state OF idaho adds an imaginary
, settler TO It's domain and inesmy to fts
! name.
A young man at = lawyeRas oftloe IN
Blaosfoot stated r tsrssiv when asked
: how the land board GOULD do certain
things which wore evidently contrary
to law. why" said hs. Whey are .
law unto themselves"
I Crops q FaIlursJ Settlers Move Away
There was . complete failure IN 1910.
4 A number Of settlers moved away and
others would have gone II thsy had
. had anything 70 90 on It began to
4 dawn upon them that they had been
duped. They began to realize the mar
. veious benefits of the Carey act They
: began to understand how the state does
NOT protect tho settler. and with this
I accumulated wisdom and q depleted
purse they proceeded to make the best
of bad situation.
Late in the fall Of that year. ~ .
result probably OF the transfer Of the
project to Carey act. the company
was able to sell some bonds and made
several miles Of good Mtches--the frst
satisfactory work that had been dens
on the project.
Water for 5000 Acres.
The next spring. 1911. the company
announced that water would be avail
: able for about 5000 acres OF land, and
? yet the conditions were exactly the
= same as they were the year before
= when there was insufficient water "a
: properly irrisate 500 acres. except thai
= now there were Rona dffchas wAsre