gobble up everything in sight, he fell down on the whole. It came about in this way: Odell had contracted with a couple of fellows to do the adjudicating for him on the basis of ten cents an acre for all lands in which sufficient evidence was produced to declare it mineral in character. Rader and myself, as heretofore indicated, had already adjudicated every school section in that part of the State, but this did not deter Odell from operating along similar lines. His agents were therefore instructed to adjudicate everything left, no matter whether the section was vacant or belonged to somebody else. There was where he made a serious mistake, for no sooner had his agents advertised that adjudications were to be made on certain school sections already sold by the State, than there was a howl of disapproval from the owners.
They appeared at the Land Office on the date set for the hearing, and after listening to the perjured testimony being introduced to show that their holdings were mineral in character, immediately entered a vigorous protest with the Commissioner of the General Land Office, which resulted in knocking the adjudicating business into smithereens, but not, however, before the State had selected some 73.000 acres based upon this fraudulent mineral base, and had given deeds to the purchasers. Had Odell and L. B. Geer omitted the tracts that had been sold previously by the State to settlers and stockmen, there is no telling how much they would have gotten away with, as their agents were working overtime for the ten cents an acre commission, and everything was grist that came to their mill.
Shortly after L. B. Geer was appointed State Land Agent, he was allowed additional clerks to assist in determining the quantity of base the State was entitled to. This information he used for his own personal benefit, and as General Odell had been given a desk in his office, all those making inquiry concerning indemnity selections were referred to him, and he would thereupon supply the base, exacting a fee of $150 an acre for his services. Thousands of dollars were thus paid to Odell for information that required but a moment to furnish, and which should have been given by the State Land Agent, as the State had gone to the expense of having the search of the records made that revealed the existence of this base. As a matter of fact, the two were working hand in glove, and the whole thing was a sort of "wheel within a wheel" proposition.
While Odell and Geer were thus holding a monopoly on the disposition of all State base, I learned of two sections of school land located in the mineral belt of Southern Oregon, and called upon Governor Geer for authority to adjudicate them as mineral. The Governor informed me that I would have to see L. B. Geer, as he was attending to that branch of the business. The latter passed me back to the Governor, who in turn referred me to Odell, w-ho told me in plain English, that as he had undertaken to adjudicate the mineral character of the various school sections east of the Cascade Range, he did not propose to permit me to interfere with his prerogative.
Returning to the Governor once more, I assured him that the two sections T had under consideration did not conflict with any sacred territory and that if he would grant me the privilege of doing the work, I would willingly deposit the requisite fifty cents per acre and have the selections made, with the understanding that the certificates of purchase were not to be issued until the basis was approved by the Land Department; and if I failed to satisfy the demands of the Government in this respect, that the amount of my deposit should be refunded. Governor Geer pulled in his horns at this suggestion, and resorted to his threadbare method of referring me to the State Land Agent, which was equivalent to sending me upon an endless chain journey.
I reminded them both how certificates of purchase to thousands of acres were being issued to Odell long before he had even commenced the adjudication of basis, and as my proposition was perfectly fair, and the State did not stand to lose anything, nor was I interfering with the game of Odell and L. B. Geer, that I ought to be granted the privilege. My pleadings were in vain, however.
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