The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1920-10-23
ARE TAKING
UP NEVADA LANDS
$50 Families Located on Ne.
vada Lands During the
Past Year

About $50 families settled upon
public lands in Nevada in the past
year. according to figures prepared
by A. b. Gray, registrar of the Fed
eral land Office at Carson. Mr.. Gray
is spending a vacation in Reno and
boosting the possibilities of Nevada
land for agricultural purposes at the
same time.
There are millions of acres open
for settlement In this State" he said.
These are waiting some method of
irrigation and men with nerve are de-
veloping in many sections. Settlers
have proven that wells will furnish
water in northern Humboldt, Washoe
and Clark Counties and there are
thousands of acres in that section
awaiting settlers, who can obtain
land for the asking under either the
homestead act or the Pittman act"
Mr.. Gray calls attention to the
fact that six or seven firms in other
States are advertising to locate set
tiers on Nevada lands and are doing
a good business. Their business is
legitimate" he said. But 1t seems
strange that farmers will pay a dol
lar and a half an acre to be located
on land they a take up for them
selves. 1t might be a good idea for
the State to advertise such land as
1t becomes taxable when settled.
"A a in Oakland" he continued,
"advertises Nevada lands and locates
homesteaders in Rebel Creek, Hum
boldt County, district. His partner
conducts a store at Rebel Creek at
which the settlers obtain their sup
plies. The two men charge $3.50
an acre for their work and have done
considerable business in the past
year. Other real estate firms in
Gridley, Calf, Los Angeles, Boise,
Idaho, and other cities have been To-
eating settlers in Elko, Humboldt,
Pershing and Washoe Counties. All
of these concerns seem to be doing a
good business and are bringing set
tiers into Nevada rapidly.
During the months of July and
August" said Mr.. Gray, permits
to prospect for water were issued and
delivered to applicants covering more
than 100000 acres OF ~sagebrush land,
and If fifty per cent of the applicants
should be successful in developing
water for irrigation of twenty acres
each so as to raise agricultural pro-
ducts at a profit it will mean 1880
acres of decided land for taxation;
and the opening for 160-acre home
steads where 1t is known water car
be found, or 1880 acres of public
domain.
Mr.. Gray estimates that 5000 ac-
res of land are being applied for each
week by men anxious to develop wa
ter and secure a home under the Pitt
man act.
The registrar says Nevada should
take some steps itself to obtain new
settlers for the available tracts. Some
of the advertisements of Nevada land
read like fairy tales, he explained.
1.-The Government is investigating
some of those concerns now, but all
seem t. be complying with the law.
There is one man in San Antonio,
Texas" he said, who advertises that
he is agent for 100000 acres of
Nevada land bordering on southern
California. His advertisements state
that lemons, oranges, peaches, pears,
apples, peanuts and sweet potatoes
can be grown; that the climate is
about the same as Los Angeles. AT
the time he first advertised, he had
a copy of the Pittman act and plats
of two townships of Clark County.
The advertisement has been referred
to the Federal bureau of investiga-
ton, but so far there has been moth
ing wrong found"