The Meeker herald., 1918-03-16
STAND BY THIS EMBLEM
The s4o.Acre Proposition

ovoAy ooS icCelSlnk AottcIs Iiotu
some of the over 5000 people In Col
orado who have made application to
file on lands under the Stock Raising
$40 Acre Homestead Law, inquiring
what the department Is doing to-
wards the classification of those
lands, and how soon they can expect
an allowance or rejection OF their ap-
plications. AIN just now In receipt
Of . letter on this subject from Hon.
George Otis Smith, director of the
Geological Survey, which letter Is
self explanatory; and would be
pleased to have you either copy his
letter, or make mention Of 1t rs q
general news item for the informs-
tion Of many OF your readers who are
among those applicants. l may add
that the House has just passed an
appropriation giving the Geological
$3.50 900 for the expense Of completing
this classification as expeditiously as
possible. So am In hopes that these
home seekers may have their appli-
cations allowed and get on their
lands this spring. While DIR. Smiths
letter is not very definite, at the same
time II does show that the Depart
ment is moving along AZ rapidly as
We can expect, and hope that with
In the next three or four months all
Of those applications will be passed
upon. In this connection, I am re-
ceiving many requests for $40 acre
homestead maps. There IL no such
map. Nothing OF that is or ever has
been published at all, and very
naturally could not be until all such
lands are finally and definitely classi-
fed, and the drivewxys selected and
located. Some one without knowing
anything about this law has sent out
this misinformation. There has been
gotten out by the General Land Office
every year for many years little
map showing the 80 acre dry farm
Ing homestead lands. and I send them
to you every year, and to all the sur
veyors and attorneys and everyone
else who asks for them. But that has
no relation to the new 8lO-Acre Stock
Raising Grazing Homestead law.
With my kindest regards and best
wishes, and thanking you for men,
tioning this matter, remain as ever
Very cordially yours,
EDWARD T. TAYLOR.
February l5. 1918.
Hon. Edward 7. Taylor,
House Of Representatives.
MY DEAR Mr.. TAYLOR:
lam In receipt Of your letter Of
February I, 1918, inciosing q request
from Hon. Harry V. Pyle Of Dolores,
Colorado, dated February l, 1918, in
quiring concerning progress being
made In the designation Of lands
under the stock raising homestead
act.
During the past field season the
Geological Survey had five parties In
the field In Colorado examining lands
applied for under the stock-raising
homestead act. These parties op-
Grated In the Glenwood Springs.
Sterling, Del Norte, Pueblo and
Lamar land districts. Practically all
OF the lands included In applications
filed In the Sterling. Del Norte and
Lamar land districts were examined
and large area included In applica-
tions pending in the Glenwood
Springs and Pueblo land districts
WAS also examined but 1t was i'm
possible to complete examinations In
these areas before weather conditions
made further field work impractica-
BILE.
The reports on these field examina-
tions have been sent to the Washing
ton office where they are now under
consideration. It is expected that >
portion OF the lands In the Glenwood
Springs land district will be classified
In the near future and that classifica-
tions In the other areas will be made
during the course of the winter.
The total number Of applications
filed In the state of Colorado il ap-
proximately 5000 and because Of the
diversity In climatic and other con-
ditions It Is necessary In many areas
to examine In detail the lands ap-
piled for. This type Of work requires
more careful field examination and
Office consideration than would be
necessary were the conditions more
uniform.
The future progress Of this work is
already dependent upon the action
taken by Congress on the deficiency
estimate which is now pending before
the Appropriations committee. Un.
less this appropriation Is obtained
promptly the progress Of the work
will be seriously delayed.
Yours very truly,
(SiRued) GEORGE OTIs SMITH,