Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-04-03
GOOD NEWS FOR SETTLERS,

The following letter, although explicit, we think
is not sufficiently to meet the wants of the set
tiers. If understand it, the person who set
tied upon claim and improved it prior to the
passage of the late act is still entitled to it, al
though the claim may have been jumped by some
else, ''as subsequent settler will be allow
ed to appropriate the labor or improvements of
another previously upon the sam, land" We are
led to believe then, from this, that the actual SET
tier he who has improved his claim, can still
retain it, notwithstanding the claim may have
been jumped by another. The question now ar
ises, "a man who has hired another to live on
claim, and after that person has sold that claim,
can he, the spccuator, still retain the land p
And can he depose those who actually on the
land, having bought the same of the bona fide
settler? Again. is he who holds the claim in an
others name the actual settler, or is it the per-
son who is on the claim? These questions, it
seems to us, are of more Importance than the 9TH
crs, because it is well known that there are many
persons who, ,.having held claims in the names of
others, have recently had those claims jumped,
and the question to be settled is-tO whom do
these claims belong? TO those who are now on
them, to those who held them in the names Of
others? We should say to those who purchased
the claims and arc now actual settlers, or else
every spcculator who desired to hold dozen
claims, can do so, if he has money enough to pay
men to live on them. We have no light on this
point, but we think it is highly necessary there
should be. The letter we copy from the Demo
crat of Monday evening =
JUMPING CLAIMS.
''Thc inquiry in behalf of DR.. Ames and others
interested in the subject matter, whether sperson
can gain any rights, under the amendatory act re-
ferred to, who did prior to its PASSAGE enter upon
and take possession of tract of land or any part
of it, which had been improved and settled by
another The act of I'd instant referred to, gives
pre-emption right under settlement and culti-
walton made prior to its passage provided, shat
where two or more persons arc settled upon the
same legal subdivision, they shall be permitted to
enter it Jointly, the right of each to be in proper
tion to the extent of his improvements All bo-
na.ide settlers, there upon any legal subdivision,
who were upon the same ut the passage of the said
act, have n joint right therein, in proportion to
the extent of improvements I; but subsequent set
tier will not be allowed to appropriate the labor
or imp, Orenents of another previously upon the
same land, to predicate thereon claim--a tres
passer upon the improvements of another, acqur-
ing rights under the law in question.
a mere trespasser upon the claim of an actual
settler, for the purpose Of nominaiiy bringing the
party under the provisions of this act, cannot
avail the person who made such treSpass, or con-
fer any right upon him and the fact, as to the
character of the subsequent or later claim, can
only be determined, in each particular case, upon
its Investigation
Very Respectfully, -.
Your Obed't Servant,
JOHN WILSON,
Commissioner.