The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-08-11
LAND SPECTATORS
BLOCK SETTLEMENT

Washington, Aug. 9.-During the
last decade, the Forest Service has
classified as agricultural and opened
to public entry more than 1880 in
dividual scattered tracts of land in
the national forests, comprising more
than 100000 acres, says an article
ty the Chief Forester, published in
the Year Book of the Department of
Agriculture, just issued. Within
the last two years, in addition, sever
al large blocks have been eliminated
sggregating more than 100000
acres, while nearly 100000 acres
more are now under consideration
for elimination. All the remaining
agricultural land in the national for
ests is confined chiefly in isolated
tracts scattered here and there; to
restricted areas requiring irrigation,
where water can not be obtained;
and to certain river bottoms and
benches which are not covere' with
!ery heavy and valuable timber.
A constant pressure is being
brought to bear on the government
by private individuals who want to
acquire possession of these heavily
timbered agricultural lands, single
quarter-sections of which often have
e value as high as $4,000 for the
timber alone. In spite of the fact
that some of these lands have soil
suitable for agriculture, to throw
them open as homesteads would not
result in farm development. This
has been proven over and owe again
where lands of this kind, acquired
under the Homestead Law, are today
held not by homesteaders but by
lumber companies, who promptly
purchased them from the settlers as
as title passed from the govern
ment-a speculative process which
effectively prevents men of small
means from acquiring land and es-
tablishing homes.
The government is withholding
from agricultural entry all such hea-
'ily timbered land until after the
timber is cut off. AS soon as this
is done, the land will be opened to
entry and settlers will be able to ac-
quire it directly from the govern
lnent without cost, instead of having
to pay from $40 to $50 an acre to
land spectators. For example. on
the Kaniksu National Forest in Ida
no and Washington, the govern
ment's timber sales have been made
10 include much of the remaining
'imbered agricultural land. Within
eight years fully 10000 acres will
be made available for settlement.
homes will be established
by the settlers; and there will be
available for the use of communities
approximately s225,0OO for roads
and schools, their legal share of the
proceeds from the timber sales.
Private ownership of heavily timber
ed agricultural land blocks farming
development, says the article; gov
eminent ownership insures such de-
velopment under conditions that give
opportunities to the small settler
whose only capital is his strength
and courageous perseverance.
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
sed-off lands are lying idle, although
much of this area has fine agricul-
tural soil and a climate that insures
crops and the development
thriving communities. Yet in
this same region hundreds of settlers
ere seeking to find places in the na-
'lonal forests, usually remote from
transportation, high in the mountains
where the climate is harsh and the
sell relatively poor, simply because
the good lands at lower levels out
side the forests are held by the spe-
culators at prohibitive prices. The
rue solution of the problem of agri-
culture in such sections is to develop
the rich ogged-off private lands that
lie outside the forests, and not to
throw open the non-agricultural
lands within the forests.
MCGOWAN FAMILY REUNION.