The Shasta courier., 1854-03-18
ON THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN.
What is Necessary 70 Sc

By an Act of Sd March, 1853, the pre-emp-
ton laws were extended over California These
Laws authorised settlements 10 be made on pub
lie lands in this State rot get surveyed IF made
ocitha one year from the passage OF the Act of Sd
March last, (853); but such settlements will
not be recognized under these laws II made sub
sequeut 10 that period.
The 10Th and 32d sections which have been
donated to the State for school purposes, if set
tied ON, can be held by pre-emptors, and the
State may select other lands in lieu of those
thus settled on
By this Act lands Preserved on account of
claims under French, Spanish, or other grants,
which have been, or shall be hereafter declared
by the Supreme Court of the United States to be
invalid, will be entitled to the right of pre-emp-
tion after the lands have been released from res
crvation, in the same manner as ii no reserva-
ti0n existed"
The person claiming the benefit of these acts
must be citizon OF the Uuited States, or have
declared his intentions to become such must
be the head of family, or widow, a single
man the age of twenty-one years. These
lands may be paid for by military land warrants
al the rate of 81 25 per acre. But one warrant
can be used in each pre-emptiOn case. Parties
settling on such land are required to file their
declara:ory statements with the proper Register,
containing the precise day of settlement, &C..
within three months after the filing of the town.
ship plat in said Registers office. The proof,
affidavit, and payment of these lands may be
made at any time previous to the day fixed by
the Presidents proclamation for the commence
ment OF the public sale 0f lands Included in the
tract.
The tracts liable TO entry under this act are
"A regular quarter section, notwithstanding its
quantity may be a few acres more or less than
one hundred and sixty acres; any lesser sabdi-
vision, any adjoinfag tsgat subdivisions, the
yregae number of acres i'll which does not ex-
ceed one hundred and sixty acres But these
regular quarter sections cannot of course be
known until the legal surveys by the United
States have been made.
The heirs of parties who die before consuma-
ting their CLAIMS by the filing of the proper pa
pers. Sc, will have the right to perfect the
claim.
By this act person who has once filed dec
laration for one tract of land. cannot, at any fu
ture period file second declaration for another
tract
No person who is proprietor of $50 acres Of
land in any State or Territory OF the United
States, is entitled to the benefit of this act.
No person who shall quit abandon his resi-
dence on his own land in California to reside
on the public lands is entitled to the benefit OF
this Act.
No assignment or transfer of pre-emptiOn
rights can be recognized of entries made with
cash, or revolutionary landscript. The patents
must issue to the claimants. in whose names all
such entries must be made; but where the
claim has been located by military warrant,
(made assignable per Act of Congress. approved
March %, 1852, the certificate of location may
be assigned, and the patents will be issued to
the assignee.
The following descriptions of lands are ex-
empt from the operations of these Acts:
l. Lands included by any reservation by any
treaty, law. or proclamation by the President OF
the United States, and lands reserved tor sa-
lines or any other purposes.
2. Lands reserved for the support OF schools,
except as to sections sixteenth and thirty-slx on
mnsurreyed land as hereinbefore mentioned.
3. Any Indian reservat on TO which the title
has been or may be extinguished by the United
States at any time during the operation OF this
Act.
f. Sections of land reserved to the United
States. alternate to other sections, which may
hereafter be granted to the State for the con-
struction of any canal railroad, or other public
improvement. except where the settlements
may be made ON such land between the time OF
reservation and the final allotment referred to in
in the Act of Sd March, 1853, Chapter lab, Sec
ond session. 32d Congress.
5. Sections, or fractions of sections included
within the limits of any incorporated town.
6. Every portion of the public lands which
has been selected as site for city or town.
7. Every parcel or lot of land, actually set
tied and occupied for the purpose oi trade, and
not agriculture.
8. All lands on which are situated any known
salines or mines.
9. Lands reserved by competent authority,
and those claimed by any foreign grant or title
10. Lands in the posse ssion or occupation OF
an Indian tribe.
IL. Lands occupied for a military post, or
within one mile of such post.
Those claiming the benefit Of this Act are re-
luired to furnish proof by one or more disinter-
ested witnesses, Of the facts necessary to estab-
sh the three requisites pointed out in these in
,tructions. viz: citizenship, family relations or
age, and the inhabitation of the tract sought