The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1920-02-04
WILL COLON|zE LARGE AREA
UNDER PITTMAN LAND LAW
Enterprising Local and Outside Peo-
pie to Attempt Big Land Exploi-
tation Scheme

One of the largest. if not the larg
est bodies of land taken under the
Pittman act, which makes feasible
land development from underground
water sources, was set afoot Monday
when eleven local and outside par
ties appeared before the Fallon
United States Commissioner and
subscribed to applications that in
yolve the grand total of 2s,160 acres
of highly fertile land lying in the vi
cinity of Desert Wells northeast of
Saltwater. The Pittman act ap-
plies only to lands within the state
of Nevada and under its terms any
individual or set of individuals can
file on 1850 acres of otherwise un-
appropriated public land to be de-
yeloped in an agricultural sense
within a period of two years follow
ing the date of making the applica-
ton. When water has been secured
from an underground source and 20
acres made ready for crops and irri-
gated patent may issue for $40 acres
when the remainder of the original
stored to the public domain to be
filed upon in 160 acre tracts under
the terms of the general homestead
laws.
The party to attempt the develop
ment of the area in the vicinity of
Desert Wells is composed of Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles B. Hall, of Davenport,
Ia, Miss Leonora Grohndorff, of the
same city, Mr.. and Mrs. Ned Schoe-
raft, Mr.. and Mrs. Shober j. Rogers,
Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Osgood, o. ].
Vannoy and Frank yannoy, of this
city.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ned Schoeraff,
Charles B. Hall and Miss Grohn-
dorff are associated together in the
development of what is confidently
believed to be one of the largest gold
and silver deposits in the state and
the two explorations are to be at
tempted under a big comprehensive
plan that will appeal with fullest
force to investors able to sense an
opportunity when it is presented.
Thorough attempts are to be made
to develop artesian water, transpor-
tation means are to be established
and it is not far cry from success
In the attainment of these two pre-
requisites to a fiourishing colony
where land will be land and mount
in value as production of a wide
range of agricultural crops is ac-
eomplished.
When the Newlands project was
first projected it was dream of the
engineering mind that the lands
filed on this week should be includ-
ed within the scope of the great fed
eral scheme. Indeed the builders of
this project anticipated the time in
the development of the potentialities
dealt with when great tunnel would
be driven through the Silver Range
of mountains and in addition to pro-
viding supply of irrigation water
for the Dixie valley section, the plan
would also effect needed drainage
for this valley. AS the years have
come and gone, however, involve
ment after involvement has arisen to
limit the supply of water from the
Tahoe watershed available for uses
here with a consequent circumscrip-
ton of the scope of the Newlands
project.
1t is a part of the plan of those
behind this big land scheme to i'm
mediately set about and survey the
lands taken, sink wells. construct ir-
rigation canals and proceed with
bona fide land nd\development. New
people will be interested in the un-
dertaking and the organization in
cludes ample talent necessary for its
consummation.
1t takes vision to accomplish re-
suits and here may be envisioned a
great scheme of the utmost practical
bility. Beyond the land applied for
Monday runs the Silver Range of
mountains, long known to be a vast
treasure trove and its ledges are to
be made to produce coincident with
development of the vast agricultural
resources presented in the Desert