Minnesota weekly times., 1857-04-18
Z TUESDAY; APRIL IA, 1857.
Pre-Emp.lons SIN 70 be Had.
Hon ISLAND, April 6, ,57.

4
| HIoH Island, April 6, ,57.
Tn the Editors the Minnesota Times s8qI Is ~ 4.
see by your paper that some of the Land off,
ces have closed or partially SO. Will you be 50
good as to inform us, in this neighborhood,
(rown LA, Range 28) through the medium Of
your paper, if the Red Wing Land Office has
closed, and if settlers on lands, the plats Of
which have not been returned, and consequently
have not had an opportunity to file their state
ments or pre- empt, if their claims will be re-
spected by the United States and by the Ralroad
company, and how soon there is probability of
our being able to file statement or to pre- empt,
if the Office is now closely also, how we are to
know when the plat of this township has been re-
turned. The survey was made last Fall. As we
now have Post Office at this place, you will
please direct in future, High Island, Sibley Co.,
NJ. I. IA Very respectfully, yours, !,
e. ScANTLRBURY.
In reply to the above question, we would inform
our friends at High Island that the Red Wing
Land cfRce has closed to the fling Of declaratory
statements, and also to immediate pre-emption
! We would further assure s'settlers on lands,
the plats Of which have not been returned, and
who consequently have not had an opportunity to
file their statements or to pre-empt," and also,
settlers on land tho plats of which haze been re-
turned, that all their claims will be respected by
the United States Government, and by it defend
ed from the encroachments of any and every Rail
Road Oompany.-unless some of the claimants
are polluted with African blood, in which contn-
gency, as it it one Of the seven deadly sims, we
would respectfully advise them to go to Pembina
and live with the Indians, or sell themselves at
half price to some of the Democratic philanthro-
pists of Minnesota. sl5''isi~ - 7''a' N't .a'
Again as to show soon there is probability
of being able to file statement or to pre- empt,''
we would say that pre-. emptions Of lands fled
on before the closing of the Offices, can be made
in few weeks, and that the other settlers will
not be permitted to file until the location Of the
Roads by the Legislature, when (if the land has
been surveyed and the plats returned,) they may
enter their statements, and prove up. In tho lat
ter cdse, however, that is, in the case of persons
Who have not yet filed, (whetber they settled on
the lands before or since the closing of the Land
of6ces) the pre-emptors will have to pay 50 so
per acrei-or double the original government
price. With this change in valuation, there is no
other difference, and bona 6de settlers can hold
what ever claims they have made, or may make
before the location and survey of the rail roads,
just as securely as ever.
Our correspondent cannot know positively when
the plat of a township is returned, without appi-
cation at the Land Office, unless he may happen
to see it in newspaper. 1t is the official duty
Of the agents to publish list of all towns as
soon as returned, in some local paper; duty
which they perform-about as often as they do
some others. Take your claims, gentlemen, and
stick to them at all hazards. ia r;or3 IA