The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1947-02-28
Open 100 Acres of Land
In Yakima Valley to Veterans

lie Interior Depdf JIllSllL
announced this Eek h at
World War II veterans have
until April | to make applica-
ton for LOO acres of irrigat-
ed farm lands in Washington
states famed Yakima Valley
as a preliminary to the dis
tribution of more homestead
grants of public land.
Secretary of the Interior J. A.
Krug said in an announcement
that qualified veterans-both men
and women-who file applications
by ? p. m, April l, will have an
equal chance for the farms in
public lottery on a date to be an
nounced later.
The winners whose names will
he drawn from a goldfish bowl,
must pay only the Government
homesteading fee and irrigation
construction charges and the
latter can be repaid over a 40-year
period, interest free.
Interested veterans can obtain
application forms and copies of
the public notice on the drawings
by writing to Sup arintendent, va
kima Project, Federal Building.
Yakima. Wn.
Part of Roza Division
The LOO acres being offered
are part of the 4,100-acre tract on
the Roza Division of the Yakima
Project, all of which eventually
he opened for homesteading by the
Reclamation Bureau of the Inter-
ior Department.
All told, the Interior Depart
merit has some 700. 900 acres of
farmland in three western states
which will be made available to
vets in the course of the next five
years.
with irrigation, this land is
rich and will grow a variety of
crops" Secretary Krug said. "Ro-
"a Division land, similar to that
being opened, grew crops averag-
ing $203 per acre in value In 1915.
We are happy that land which has
such good prospects can now be
made available for homesteading.
We shall push ahead with more
Reclamation construction as rap
idly as appropriations and other
factors will allow in an effort to
make more irrigated farms avail
able"
Only applications of World War
II veterans who have Mt least 90
days service will be considered
for the first 90 days after the land
is opened to entry.
Drawing To Set Choice
The final choice will be determ-
med by a public drawing. similar
To the way entrymen were select
ed last December on the Klamath
project in Oregon and California,
and early this month on the Heart
Mountain Division of Shoshone
project in Wyoming.
To qualify. veterans must meet
certain minimum requirements. A
board of examiners composed Of
local people familiar with settle
ncnt problems on the new land
will determine whether the appli,
Cants arc qualified. In general.
applicants must have two years of
farm experience, $1,000 in liquid
capital or assets or credit disable
in development of an irrigated
farm, good character and indus
try, and the physical ability to do
the required farm work. Also, APP
plicants must meet the principal
qualification Of the Federal home
stead laws. They must be 3 years
of age or head of a family Certain
Exceptions arc provided IN the
case of veteransD, he citizens of
the United States or have declar-
ed their intention TO become citi-
zens, own not more than rs acres
Of land IN the United States (cer-
tain exceptions allowed and must
rot have exhausted their home-
stead rights
The local examining board con-
sisting of Emmett J. McKenna. Jr.,
representative of veterans organ
izations, and Cecil G. Clark. of
Yakima and Superintendent Ball,
will review the applications for
conformance with requirements.