OCR Text |
Show FENCING PUBLIC LANDS Interior Department Concerned Con-cerned Over Matter. OPINION OF AN EXPERT Desert Land Act Ono Cause for Illegal Fences. This Especially Applicable to Eastern Wyoming Where Land is Peculiarly Pecu-liarly Adapted to Grazing. Washington, Jan. 6. The Interior Department De-partment Is still much concerned over the subject of Illegal fences and tho leasing of public lands In Wyoming, Nebraska and other Western States Dr. Ocorgo I, Adams, of the geological survey, who has given the question considerable study. In an article published pub-lished In ono of the water svtrply papers pa-pers of the department, attempts to show that the passing of the desert land net nnd considerable to do with the monopoly and Illegal fencing of public lands, especially In Eastern Wyoming, Wy-oming, where the lands arc peculiarly adapted to grazing. Owing to the scml-arld scml-arld condition of this region, home-stendlng home-stendlng was practically Impossible, nnd this left the land to the use of the ranchmen, who, cnJolng the ndvnntnge of a wide and free rnnge, wero nble to depend upon the grnss nnd limited natural meudovv for tho support of their herds. RANCHMEN CONTROL STREAMS On the pissing of tho desert land act, providing for tho sale of Imds reclaimed by Irrigation, all lauds l)lng along strenms were taken up by the ranchmen, and while ditches were constructed con-structed parallel to the streams, the water was not conducted any great distance, but It gave the ranchman practical control of tho range. In a short time so much land had been entered under this act that n ranchman ranch-man desiring to establish himself wns obliged to first find open wnter. The lands Irrigated consisted chiefly of natural nat-ural meadows or fields of alfalfa. In a short time all available water was appropriated, ap-propriated, and In many cases ditches were constructed which wero never of prnctlcal benefit except In obtaining title to the lands. TENCINQ I'UDLIC LANDS. With tho taking up of the lands so thnt little "open wntei" remained, the ranchmen wero enabled to utlllzo the remaining portions for grazing, nnd, having made mutual agreements, felt In a measure secure, and even ventured ven-tured to fence public lands for their own use. A new situation, however, hns developed, In the sinking of deep wells and the use of windmills nnd gasoline engines for pumping. This enables the ranchmen to lease small tracts of land and to establish themselves them-selves In open range nnd the gradual crowding Is resulting In the disappearance disappear-ance of many Illegal fences. DR. ADAMS'S VIEW. It is the opinion of Dr. Adams that there Is little hope of this section of tho country being thickly settled, except ex-cept In such localities as can be Irrigated, Irri-gated, because of the fact that very large tracts aro required for grazing, a common estimate being that twenty acres per head is necessary for summer and winter pasturage. Enterprises which aro now being promoted nro In accordance with tho Cary act. Under Its provisions the land must be actually reclaimed, and this la possible only with a email percentngo of Iho area. There Is at present a feeling that some arrangements ar-rangements should bo made which would Insure tho rightful and exclusive use of tho grazing lands of the public domain, ond tho question of the Government's Gov-ernment's leasing them Is receiving consideration. |