The Placer herald., 1857-10-31
The Sale of Public Lands.

The Sale Of Public Lands.
1t is already known to most readers, that
the last mail brought the Presidents proc
lsmation authorizing the sale Of the sur
veyed public lands in this State, amount
ing to some two millions five hundred thous-
and acres. The State sale takes place in
May next, and is q matter of great import
ance to the people of California. In refer
ence to the subject matter of the proc
lamation, the Alta remarks:
An impression has seemed to prevail
both here and abroad, that the whole of
the land in California is covered with Span.
ish grants, and that immigrants arriving
here as we'll as our own residents, would
have no opportunity Of pre-empting them
or purchasing them at Government price.
But opportunities will be offered now, Ell
ther to settle upon any of the described
unoccupied lands, and thereby secure them
at the rate Of one dollar and quarter an
acre, or to purchase them at the Sales in
May next.
Of the lands advertised for sale, about
four hundred thousand acres lie on the
west side Of the Sacramento River, prin-
cipally in the counties Of Cousa, Yolo and
Tehama. There is little in Napa, and
in Solano there are five townships, or about
$4,000 acres. The remainder is principally
in the counties Of Frenzo, Stanislaus, Mer-
ced and San Bernardno, that in the first
three counties being generally good land,
while most of that in the last is compara-
lively valueless. At the sale, the land is
put up in tracts of eighty acres each, and
taking section of land described by num-
Der in certain township, the sale is made
in the following order: East half of the
northeast quarter, west half of do, east half
OF the northwest quarter, west half of do.
east half Of the southeast quarter, west half
of do, east half of the southwest quarter,
and west half of do The minimum price at
which these tracts can bo sold is one
dollar and quarter per acre, to be paid
in cash or military bounty land warrants
All land not sold at the expiration of two
weeks from the day of sale, will be sub
ject to private entry in the Registers
| ter an acre.
At any time previous to the sale, persons
who have settled upon any of the tracts
mentioned, can, by proving their claims,
before the Registers and Receivers at the
land office in the district where their
claims arc located, secure government
patent for them at the rate of one dollar
and quarter per acre, to be paid in cash
or land warrants, and all claims SO pro-
ven, are, of course, removed from the list
of tracts to be sold. The claimant is eoured
to appear in person before the Register
and Receiver, to establish his claim, which
must be supported 10y the af1idavits Of one
or more persons, which may be taken be-
forc any officer authorized by law to adj
minister oaths. The claimant must prove
that he made the settlement on the land in
person; that he has erected Il dwelling on
the land; that the claimant lived in it and
made it his home. Should decision be
.iven against the claimant, lie has the right
TO make request for the opinion Of the
general land Office, when the Register is
required to forward all the original r,pe 4
touching the claim and the reasons for re
lecting it, and IN the meaatmc, the land
claimed is not to he entered or sold with,
on: the order Of the d, partment
The Register and Receiver in this dist let
viii commence hearing The proofs Of claims
on the 81 Of November, AMI cirrulars will
be sent from the different land offices into
the counties where the lands advertised
for sac lie, informing the claimants of the
course of procedure necessary to pursue.
In order to establish a claim, beside the
proofs we have stated above as necessary,
the claimant must he a citizen of the United
States or one who has declared his inten-
tions to become such, prior to the time of
settlement. A widow can secure pre-
emption claim, or any person who is ''the
head of a family" Even an unmarried
man, under twenty one years of age, is en-
titled to pre-empt, if i, is proven that he
has mother or sisters, or relatives depend
ing solely upon him for support
We have thus touched upon the prn-
cipal matters of interest connected with
this sale. For California it is very i'm
portant matter as it will not only secure
the settlement and cultivation Of large
amount of land now lying idle and unpro-
ductive, but it will add to the revenue of
our State greatly in the way of taxation.
An opportunity will be offered to secure
homestead for those who desire to set
tie down in the lovely valleys of the Sac
ramento and San Joaquin. ard an oppor-
tunity will be offered for those who have
little money TO invest to obtain. at a
cheap rate, tracts of land which must, ere
long, rise considerably in value.
A LIVELY Town is SAN DIEGo.-A no.