The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1824-03-30
LAWS OF MAINE.

AN ACT 10 promote tue sale and settlement OF
public lands
SECT l. Be Il enacted bV the Senate and House
Of Representatives in Legislature assembled. That
such townships of land belonging TO the State as
may be- suitable for settlement and cultivation,
shall he surveyed and divided into lots Of one
hundred acres each, as nearly as NAV be aud
the land so surveyed and allotted shall be sold
TO such persons only, as may wish to become
actual settlers And the first forty settlers in a.
ny township shall have each lot Of one hun
dred acres wherever be may wish 70 make Sc
lection of land not contracted for, at thirty cents
per acre one half 70 be paid in money az the time
of contracting, and the other half 10 be paid in
labour in making roads in said town, under the
direction Of the agent.
SECT 2 BE Il further enacted, That any per-
son who shall enter on any OF the land afore-
said, under contract, and clear in good and
woFkmanlike manner, fifteen acres AZ least, ten
Of which shall be well laid down to grass, and
build house and FIX his residence thereon, with
his family, If any he have, within four years
from the time Of contracting, shall be deemed
TO be an actual settler, within the meaning OF
this Act and shall be entitled 20 a goOS and SUI
hcient deed from the State, be having perform
ed the Iabour due for the purchase Of said lot on
payment being made Of all the purchase money
2Sr en- -tr-h coatras4-
SECT. 3. BE Il further enacted, That whenever
in any township, contracts shalt have been made
for forty settlers, the residue of such township
shall be sold at sixty cents acre, until other
wise ordered by the Legislature and any per-
son az any time contracting for land under the
provisions Of this act, shall be allowed TO pur-
chase any quantity not exceeding FIVE hundred
acres, on condition that be shall pay sixty cents
an acre for so much as he may purchase beyond
one hundred acres, and Obligats himself to put
thereon two settlers at least, II he shall purchase
more chan three hundred acres the settling du-
ties for each settler so put on, and conditions OF
payment in this case to be the same as are re-
CURED by the second section OF this act PreUi-
ded, hosrersr, that the conditions Of sale afore-
said shall not extend TO lots on the Penobscot
river, now assigned to this State; and all such
lots ri for settlement aud cultivation, shall be
sold AZ price not less than City cents an acre
at the discretion Of the agent who may be APP
pointed TO superintend and manage the sale and
settlement Of the public lands
Seer. &. Be II further enacted, That sueh'and
as nav be unfit Tor settlement and cultivation,
and properly falling under the denomination OF
timber land shall be laid out in lots and sold Tor
Is inst value. not exceeding five hundred acres
20 any one person one half Of the purchase
money 10 be paid IL the time OF contracting, and
The other hall TO be paid in three equal annual
payments. with interest annually, with good aud
sufficient surety for the payment thereof
Seer 5. Be Il further enacted, That tract Of
lind not exceeding txo hundred acres, togeth-
er with the best min site in any such township,
shan be reserved. and al the discretion OF TIE a
gent, 70 be appreciated A. i hsrsiaattsr provided,