The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-03-15
X "A n s AS AFFAIRS.
Special Correspondence Of the Herald.
LsooMpros, X. T., March 2, 1858


IsooMpros, X. T.. March 2, 1858.
The land OIfces-Pre emping Claims, dc.
The emigrsnt TO Kansas generally experiences great
deal Of difficulty his connections with the land office.
After he has obtained and improved q claim he is fire.
quenty at loss how 10 proceed 10 make legally his
by the act Of pre- empton There in consequence,
much trouble among squatters In regard TO claims fight
ing tEatons and the jumping Of claims are the prolibc
sources of local discord in the Territory. All such dnl
cultes might be very readily avoided.
Tho United States government has all territorial lands
surveyed, laid of into ranges townships and then into
sections one mile square, each Of these sections being
divided into four quarter sections, each of which is
half mile square and contains leo Of land The
ranges parallel lines ronniog north and south at dis
tance of miles from each other; the unbered
from the west and r the maps longitudinal
lines The township lines rrem east TO six mile
apart and marked on the maps Ike meridian lines
they numbered from the Dorth The range tines and
township lines thus divide the Territory plots six mile,
square each plot as before stated ia laid of ITO sections
mile square and quarter sections had mile square,
there being in each plot SO sections, or IA quarter
ons each Of these qusrer sections contene l60 Of
land, claim The government agrees 70 give to
every squa.er who does not already number Of
acres claim Of 100 acres Of land at nominal price.
-Four land offices open in this Territory 10 whiah
squaers e their intention TO claim aud improve any
quarter section not previously taken op, and at which,
on they preempt. The principal Land OIL ,e s here
at Lecompton William Brndle is the receiver in it, and
Fly Moore the register The second s at Kckapoo, the
third ut Fort Scott and the fourth at Ogden, Fort
Rely. Each office like court, has jurisdiction
within that nave 70 Eether claims pre-enp,ed
thai office other The government price of aud
dollar and quarter an acre, or $500 per claim out
land received in the land office the
$500 in gold and they be purchased New York
from $40 TO $40 and here from $3.50 to $3.50 The
cessary improvements be made upon saim for $40
$50, touatter by obtaining lapd warrant. WHICH,
by the way very abundant pre-empt ais claim
S9Hu. M se s1 r c,u god ,a@ s
by preemptng clsms and soirg them but they only
pre.enpt ,e therefore they hold their csms
with great teDacy and will not sell them ess than thou
sands. good business o1ever, carried by Some
rogues who go about making nominal improvements on.
good claims and then sell them for ope two or tnree
hundred dollars TO emigrnts who get claims
and do not know exactly where 10 end them. Un'y
small portions of the Terrtoy are brought into
the market at time for pre.eenpon. Sometimes Land
opened for settlement and Improvement before ID s
opened for pre- enpon In such the parties living
upon and improving the claims the who have
first right 10 preempt
But what Of the Importance bona fde settlers
those who propose TO become such, s 10 knew to
take and preempt claims Wherever they fnd
quarter section unmproved on land open for enpton
they have right to commence improvements opon IT,
build cabin, &c. Within three months after gong upon
the claim they should go 10 the proper land o ant fe
upon sad claim. 10 themselves from trouble aud
from having their claims jumped sauaers should always
have witness TO the date OF their settlement she
specific act that done 10 Constitute that settlement.
ie continuation Of Improvements showing good faith Of
settlement required and previous 10 entering the claim
for pre- emption cabin least ten feet twelve feet
must be built upon II, with door, window roof oor
&C. in it, The after reside in the cabin st tps
time he enters the claim for preometon y that
he intends reside In H. The law thus properly fulfilled
the squater has secured home ea6 farm which can
never be jumpei The house must be built By the equat
ter and mott bought the claim already built Claims
Jumped when persons have occupied and improved
them, but not fled them and ohe, fulfilled the
law. Another comes along, dies, makes his improve
rnents and thus jumps the claim Improvements stand
before fling there usually long )ntest before the
D
Improvement, fling, &c.
great many claims taken up in shs wise:--the
claim is found man Is hired 10 build miserable little
cabin on 4, and the owner goes and lives In day
hour, the may be- ali the rest s to- and
claim presented and secured for Men here consider
their pre- empton right worth from $500 oo0 accord
ing each may have the opportunity Of securing good
claim. Claim hunting here Ii quite profession IL stands
Ike the profession Of IN New York. People
willing 10 considerable prices TO good claims
large cities and the carry out their bsness in
great variety Of srest portion OF the best lands
In the Territory reserved by and the ndsos but
OF ther reservations will for another
ltfer According 10 the treaties visb tbs fndisnr he
general government extinguish the LndAn titles
certain periods The Shawnee Reserve has Just been
u,ent at Washington los through the mail bat the
land agent here written tor another copy Of TO bo
sent Immediately. If the Indian title has been
tinguished, the reserve s open tor pre- ernpton
There bas been quite an excitement about hero,
coming from all parts Of this and the adjoining
claims thereon not There are ho~ever bu, very few
claims this which not reserved by the In
dams for absent Indians, and those fev
pied. great many men who have made improvements
claims and expended conaderable money viii ind they
trespassers on Indian lands.