East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-09-23

adopted looking to the final adjust
ment OF the controversy
Character Of lands

adopted looking to the final adjust
ment OF the controversy.
Character OF Lands.
The total acreage claimed by the
company is in round numbers 3.SOs,-
900 acres Of which sos, 900 acres
have been sold and 12S,0OO acres are
In dispute-leaving an undlsputed and
unsold balance Of 2,375, 600 acres Of
which 100000 acres appear to have
been patented TO the company.
About 100000 acres OF these lands
are reported to be tlmbered and
about 775,000 acres are non-timber-
ed. II would appear from the evil
dence offered by the government IN
the forfeiture suit that these lands car
ried stand OF about III billion feet
OF merchantable timber but informa-
ton ! have received from other reli-
able sources and which deem wor-
thy Of consideration would indicate
that ~ billion feet Is a fair esti-
mate. II would probably be safe,
therefore, to take middle ground and
place the figures at 625 billion feet
About l,S15,OOO acres of these
lands are without and 560.0 acres
within the boundaries OF our national
forests. All but about so. coo acres
OF the lands within the national for
ests are said TO be timbered. OIL
those outside the reserve about one
million acres are reported as carry
ing merchantable timber whileabout
100000 acres can be classed as non
timbered lands.
A wide difference Of opinion exists
az TO the extent OF the acreage for
settlement use the word Settle
ment" rather than the word "cult- |
walton" for the reason that II only
ten or twenty acres OF plow land isl
found on a quarter section the entire
tract can be classed as unit ''fit for
settlement"
Hon. l. II. Bingham of Lane coun-
ty, who has been in position TO know
something Of the character Of the
lands in his locality says:
There is a very large percentage Of
these lands not adapted TO agricul-
tural purposes and never will be, A
very small portion may be used for
agricultural purposes, but It consists
largely OF Isolated small tracts along
creek bottoms and | feel that settlers
will be very backward about trying
TO make homes on this land. as there
is not enough Of ii in any one place to
permit any considerable number Of
people TO settle; hence, the erection
OF school houses and the building OF
roads would be a very heavy tax on
the settlers"
Hon, w. y. Cardwell many years n
resident OF Douglas county and who
has had every opportunity TO learn
the character OF the lands in his
county. says:
THE value OF this land is very
greatly exaggerated. The agricultur-
al possibilities OF the mountainous
land Is over estimated. / am Ia a !
general way very familiar with most
Of the grant land lying in Douglas
county and will state without hesita- /
ton that seventy-five per cent Of the
unsold grant in this county is not
worth anywhere near $3.50 per acre.
So far az actual settler or actual
settlement is concerned it is entirely
out OF the question. The land for the !
most part Is wild, rugged, mountain
Gus land covered with an inpenetra-
bic growth OF salal, vlnemaple, buck
brush and fern. Except along some
OF the creek bottoms. the soil is Light,
thin and rocky. Nothing OF value can
be grown on this class of land. All
the grant lands 1T either for agri-
culture or grazing were sold years
ago"
On the other hand others who
have been in position to gather re-
liable information bearing upon these
lands and upon whose judgment
have reason to place reliance, say
that a million acres are fit for settle
ment 1t will no doubt be safe, there
fore, to again take the middle ground
and assume that 100000 acres will