East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-09-24
Much Forest Land
Has Been Open to
Recent Settlement

During the last decade, the forest
service has classified as agricultural
and opened to public entry more than
1880 individual scattered tracts of
land in the national forests, compris-
ing more than 100000 acres, says
an article by the chief forester, pub
lished in the year book Of the depart
ment of agriculture, just issued.
Within the last two years, in addition
several large blocks have been elimi-
mated aggregating more than $780,
600 acres. while nearly 100000
acres more are now under consider
alton for elimination. All the re-
naming agricultural land in the ma
tional forests is confined chiefly in
isolated tracts scattered here and
there; to restricted areas requiring ir-
rigation, where water can not be OBJ
tanned: and to certain river bottoms
and benches which are not covered
with very heavy and valuable tim
Der.
Lands Are Valuable.
A costant pressure is being brought
to bear on the government by private
individuals who want to acquire pos
| session of these heavily timbered ag-
ricultural lands, single quarter-sec-
tions Of which often have value as
high as $4,000 for the timber alone.
In spite of the fact that some Of these
lands have soil suitable for agricul-
ture, to throw them open as home
steads would not result in farm de-
velopment. This has been proven
over and over again where lands Of
this kind, acquired under the home
stead law, are today held not by
/ homesteaders but by lumber com
panies, who promptly purchased them
/ from the settlers as soon as the title
, passed from the governmental spec
ulative process which effectively pre-
vents one Of small means from ac-
quiring land and establishing homes.
Land Being Withheld.
The government is Withholding
| from agricultural entry all such
heavily timbered land until after the
| timber is cut off. As soon as this is
done, the land will be opened to en-
/ try and settlers will be able to ac-
quire directly from the government
without cost, instead of having to pay
| from $40 to $50 an acre to land spec
ulators. For example, on the Kani-
ksu national forest in Idaho and
Washington, the governments timber
sales have been made to include
much of the remaining timbered ag-
ricultural land. Within eight years
/ fully 10000 acres will be made avail
able for settlement. Permanent homes
| will be established by the settlers and
there will be available for the use Of
communities approximately $225,fOO
| for roads and schools, their legal
share of the proceeds from the tim
ber sales. Private ownership of heav-
lily timbered agricultural land blocks
farming development says the article;
government ownership insures such
development under conditions that
give opportunities to the small settler
whose only capital is his strength
ana courageous perseverance,
Serious Problem Presented.
One of the most serious agricul-
tural problems of the northwest to-
day is the development of the logged
off lands in private ownership In
/ Oregon and Washington alone more
than three million acres Of such log
ged-off lands are lying idle, although
much of this area has fine agricul-
tural soil and climate that insures
abundant crops and the development
of thriving communities. Yet in this
same region hundreds of settlers are
seeking to find places in the national
forests. usually remote from trans
portation, high in the mountains,
where the climate is harsh and the
soil relatively poor. simply because
the good lands at lower levels outside
the forests are held by the specula-