Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-10-18
CIR c l AR.
To the Register and Receivers o. ths Z. ste.es
Land Oific9s
GENERAL LAND OFFICE, }
August so. 1854

GENERAL LAND OFFICE
| August so, 1854 {
CENT LEMEN Annexed is copy of the
act of Congress, entitled IAN act to grad
uate and reduce the price of public lands
/ to actual settlers and cultiyators." ap-
proved August 4, l95i
his act takes effect from its passage.
1t applies to all lands. except those ere
served 10 the United States, in acts gran
tlhg lands to States for rail roads OF other
| internal improvements, or to mineral
lands, held al over one dollar and twenty.
hve cents per acre )" and except also lands
reserved from sale BY act of Congress, or
der Of tie President, or which may have
beer appropriated for any purpose what
ever Lands which are required bv treaty
stipulatious to be sold for the benefit Of
the Indians are also excluded from the
provisions of this law
Lands subject to the operations of this
act are also subject to pre- elpption. at tho
graduated prices, under the provision of
the act OF Sept 4. l84l. Where settlers
! claim any of these lands by pre-emption,
under that law, they must file up their
declaratory statements, prove up their
rights, and ma BE payment at the gradua-
ted price within the time prescribed by
the said act, except toward the close Of
each period of graduation, when they
must be paid for within thirty DAYS pre-
ceiling the next graduation or reduction
that shall take place. or forfeit their claim,
even If the year allowed by the act of
lo4l has not expired and the lands set
tied on by them will be subject to private
entry If not purchased at private entry,
however, before the next graduation or re-
ductlon takes place. such lands will again
be subject to presumption as aforesaid at
such reduced prices This act provides,
however. that nothing In it ''shall be so
construed as to interfere with any right
which has or may accrue by virtue Of any
act granting pre- emption to actual set
tiers upon public lands Therefore, anY
right of preference which may have 1T.
tached, or may hereafter attach, under the
act of Nay 81, 1854, entitled AN act for
the relief Of settlers on lands reserved
for rail road purposes" may be PAID for
at the graduated price, within the time
prescribed by the said act OF SD, except
towards the close of each period of grad
uation, when they must be paid for with
IN thirty days preceding the next gradu-
! =" - -i--i- L. f~-f~:.
Ali such claims however. under the
law of l84l, as well as that OF 1854 pre-
terred towards the close of each period of
graduation, which shall not have been con-
sumated OF entered under TIE act Of Au-
gust 4, 1854 may be paid for and entered
subsequently during the period allowed
by said acts of lS4l and 1854, but as the
usual minimum of 81 ,25 per acre.
Any person may enter lands subject to
the operations of this as the graduated
price on making affidavit, before the Reg
ister or Receiver Of the proper land office,
and he or she enters the same for his or
her own use. and for the purpose OF actu-
al settlement and cultivation, or for the
use of an adjoining farm or plantation
owned or occupied by him or herself, and
| together With said entry he or she has not
acquired from the United States, under
! the provisions OF this act, more than three
hundred and twenty acres, according TO
the established surveys
Allentries, by pre-emption or otherwise,
under the provisions of this act, aust be
in a compact body by legal subdivision Of
tracts adjacent and contiguous, the same
as under the pre- cmption of 1871, except
where the land is claimed for the use of an
adjoining farm or plantation, when it must
form with such farm or plantation com.
pact body as aforesaid All lands not
returned under the provisions of this act
as pre- emptions for actual settlement and
cultivation, or as a constituent part of
farm or plantation. will be subject to the
laws regulating the sale or location of
lands at the ordinary minimum price of
Sl.25 per acre.
Where parties apply to locate warrants
or scrip on any of the lands graduated
under the provision of this act, they can
locate no more than is called for by the
face OF the warrants Of script; that is,
forty acre warrant or script can only take
a forty acre tract or It's equivalent; an
eighty acre warrant can take an eighty
acre or two contiguous and adjacent forty
acre tracts, forming compact body Of
eighty acres, and SO on without regard to
price.
10 prevent confusion and simplify the
business as much as possible. it has been
determined not to reckon fractions Of years
the fiscal year governing. Hence, all
lands offered say July /, l84O, to July
: /, l645, will be regarded as coming with
, in the first class under this law; those
, offered between July /. 1889, and July ],
ll640 will not fall within the second class
| till July /, 1855, and so on in The other
classes
Great care and attention must be given
, to this matter to prevent errors, and all
entries claimed under this act since its
passage, ard in accordance with its provi-
: sions. must be adjusted as above direct
, ed
The testimony in all cases under this
L. -. A.
the certificates of entry
Very respectfully. your ob't serv't.
! JOHN WILSON. Commissioner.
4 seeming modesty is often a surer ev-
iiinnce If VI r.itr thar. q t1,ndsr.te danroa