Page:Looters of the Public Domain.djvu/159

 Affidavit of Nellie Backus—(in Loomis' handwriting)—Nellie Backus, being duly sworn, deposes and says: My P. O. address is Salem, Or.; further, I am the identical person who made H. E. No. 13185, F. C. No. 6268, for the E ½ NW ¼ and E ½ SW ¼, Sec. 19, Tp. 11 S., R. 7 E., W. M. I located my claim and put up notices, it being unsurveyed land, on July 18, 1892; I hired two men to build me a log house 14×16, and went there to live very shortly after the date above given; in 1893 I raised all of the vegetables that I needed, and have done the same every summer since then; in 1894 I built a small barn about 12×14, and a hen house; I have two acres cleared and in cultivation, and I have some more of the land with the brush cut off and seeded with grass; with the exception of about three months in the winter, when the snow is very deep, I have lived upon my place almost continuously; I have never been away from my place more than 40 days at a time since locating there except in winter, as above stated; during the winter months I went to Salem and Portland and worked for a living; I am unmarried, and could not get a living upon the claim; my absences have been only temporary, and for the purpose of earning a living. I value my improvements at about $500. They cost me more than that. (Signed)Nellie Backus.

Subscribed and sworn to March 19, 1901.

C. E. Loomis,

Special Agent, G. L. O.

Affidavit of J. A. W. Heidecke—J. A. W. Heidecke, being duly sworn, deposes and says: My P. O. address is Detroit, Ore.; I have lived there since 1890; I am well acquainted with Nellie Backus, and with her H. E. No. 13185, the E. ½ N. W. ¼, and E. ½ S. W. ¼, Sec. 19, Tp. 11 S., R. 7 E., W. M.; I have a ranch about six or eight miles from there, where I live a portion of each year; I know that she located upon her claim in the summer of 1892, and has made her home there from that date to this; she is single and poor, and has to work for her living, and has left her claim temporarily for this purpose several times, but has never abandoned it, but went there as her home when not thus employed, and at frequent intervals; she built a log house about 16×18, a barn about 12 feet square, and a henhouse; she had four or five acres cleared, and cultivated and sowed with grass seed; this is now neglected and grown up with brush to some extent; the abandoning of the railroad, and the long delay in the surveying of the land has been a great hardship to her, as well as to all the other settlers, and has greatly hindered and discouraged her, and has caused the neglect of the improvements, as she, with many others, have been very doubtful about ever being able to obtain title; since the survey she has done what she could to get her improvements into better condition; she has done the best that she could in her circumstances.(Signed)J. A. W. Heidecke.

Subscribed and sworn to June 18, 1901.

C. E. Loomis,

Special Agent, G. L. O.

Charles Thomas and William Thomas, being duly sworn, depose and say, each as follows: My P. O. address is Detroit, Ore.; I am well acquainted with Nellie Backus, and have heard the accompanying affidavit of J. A. W. Heidecke regarding her homestead entry; I know the circumstances, and know the statements therein to be true.

(Signed)

his

Charles X Thomas,

mark

his

William X Thomas.

mark

Subscribed and sworn to June 18, 1901.

C. E. Loomis,

Special Agent, G. L. O.

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