Arizona republican., 1920-10-20
Where the People
 May Have a Hearing
REPLY TO MRS. FIXES

My Dear Mrs. Fike:
 Nv attention has been directed to an open letter, appearing in several Of the newspapers in the southern part or the state. in which you discuss the action of the land board, of which l am member in sustaining the acton ol the land commissioner in refusing 10 graft you leases on certain state lahu- believe I am correct in my conten- ton that your application was paseu on the allegation that as honhe- steader YOU were entitled to preference under inc laws of this state, relying unon that part of section l of house hin No. 60. passed at the regular ses- sion of the Fourth legislature Of the state of Arizona, which reads as fol- lows:
 And provided further, that any per son occupying a United States home stead, lying adjoining. shall. upon ap- plication as in this act provided nave a preference right to lease such num- her of adioining acres as is necessary for the personal use of such nome steader."
 According to information in my possession, you are the owner Tn Iee simple of land amounting to ZSoO acres. and that land, combined Wlth that owned by other members or the FNike family. to-wit: Homer flke ana Mrs. Ella Stark, aggregates a total or 36OO acres. the assessed valuation or which. as shown by the records of the assessor of, Cichose county, is SlO,soU, personal property assessed to you ana three other members of your family, including Perry Pike, IS assesseo at S54145. your personal assessment on this class of property being sz9,soo, The improvements on all the Iahu mentioned are assessed for total or s4900; the aggregate assessment on land. personal property and improve ments amounts to s49.905, as shown from the following table from the rec ords of the assessors office of Cochise county:
 owner. Homer Ffke: No. acres. 4sO; value. S1440: personal property, $4z4oi improvements. S10O0.
 owner. Mrs Ella Stark; No. acres 16O: value. s4SO: improvements, Sl50
 Owner, Perry Fike; personal proper ty s9950
 Owner, Lydia Fike; No. acres. 296o; value. sS94O: personal property S25.955: improvements. s315O
 Total: No. acres. $500; value, SlO,- S60; improvements. s490O.
 I note that you are the owner Of tO' head of cattle. assessed at $2l,OO0; IA UullSs dSStEStu at StfNs AAANN eNN piles. assessed at $500; two mules. as sessed at s100, and other personal property of minor consequence. Your individual assessment for land. person al property and improvements IS S5S,- 645. The assessment of Homer t1ke shows that he is assessed for 11S head of cattle. assessed at $3450. and that Perry Fike is the owner of 50 head oi cattle, assessed at $500, and 30 mill cows. assessed at s2250. Although have not included all the details of tho personal property assessments o yourself and members of your family I have. I believe. set forth the prin. cipal items upon which you pay taxes
 HAlman and Graves were the lessee' of a narrow strip of land along tho Mexican boundary, lying east of tho San Pedro river and extending nearly to Naco. Frank Hillman. one of the members Of this partnership. has bending United States homestead ap- plication under the stockraising home stead act for land contiguous to this hodv of leased state land. Nearly al of the said state leases expired Juns