The Squatter-Citizens of Port Angeles

To the Editor: Allow me a few lines in your paper for the information of the public concerning the Port Angeles townsite reserve and the association of squatters connected therewith, which matter has been, I am led to believe, grossly misrepresented and very generally misunderstood. Many people in your city and elsewhere have taken claims on this reserve with very little apparent knowledge of just what they have done, and are now engaged in bombarding the undersigned and other citizens here with letters of inquiry on the subject. The Port Angeles townsite reserve is an unsurveyed government reservation for townsite purposes. To arouse interest and hasten action on the part of the government, the citizens of Port Angeles conceived the plan, last July, of going upon the reservation and making homes of the unclaimed lands until such time as they should be legally disposed of. After a hundred or more persons had done this, it was deemed expedient by them to form themselves into an association or society for mutual protection and organized effort in securing the recognition of congress and the department at Washington City. The ends to be served were two-fold: First, to secure a survey, and next, to obtain for the squatters the privilege of purchasing their claims at government valuation (which is always low) without having to bid against capitalists and speculators at the sale. By concerted and continuous effort, the aims and hopes of the association are now about to be realized. An initial appropriation of $1,000 for the survey was made at the last session of congress. This amount is supplemented by an additional $1,000 in the present sundry civil appropriation bill, which has already passed the House and is now pending in the Senate. This supplemental appropriation carries with it the provision asked for by the squatters, and which gives them the right of purchasing their homesite claims, at the appraised value, prior to the day of the public sale.