White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-03-15
Claim Jumping.

Y
how true it ISL that claims in this part
Of the Territory, which have long been
prs,empted, are being jumped BY persons
who intend to improve and make appli-
cation to enter them-and there is pros
pect Of their succeeding, or at least of
causing the original pre-emptOrs much
trouble and expense. An immense guam
tity Of this land has been pre- empted by
persons who have since gone away, or
sold it to spectators, and now it lies
waste and idle, while thousands of per-
sons are foeking in, DESTROYS of settling
upon and improving the land, but are
forced far back into the Territory, or
compelled to buy lands second handed,
at considerable advance upon the Gov
eminent price. Nine persons out of every
ten, or still greater proportion, who
have pre-empted lands in Northern Kan
sas, did so by evading the emption
laws. They erected sheds not ct for sta
bles; placed worn out straw bed, a
bench or stool, sometimes broken stove,
and fragments Of dashes. in them; some
times slept one night and ate a meal con-
sisting Of crackers and cheese in them,
and sometimes not then went to the
Land Office, with their witnesses, to
"provs up" which they did by swearing
that they had house of certain dimen-
sions and their household goods on the
claim. and had lived on it. g. had eat
en- and slept there. Many have "proved
up" and pre-empted, without having even
erected cabin. Another palpable vio-
lation Of the law has been committed by
thousands, by swearing that they had en-
tered into no agreement OF understanding
by which the land was to be used for the
benefit OF any other person than them
selves; when at the same time they had
signed bond conveying one.half of the
claim to some other person, in considera-
ton of his furnishing means to pre- empt
the whole. Now, those who are jumping
these claims, intend to reside upon and
improve them; and when they apply at
the Land Office to enter them, they will
be prepared to prove that the original
pre-emptors failed to comply with the
law, and secured the land by false swear
ing. In every such case. when the mat
ter is tested in the General Land Office,
the second claimant will get the land, as
be ought to. Some excitement is arising
on this subject. and it may lead to many
and serious difficulties. We would ad-
wise all persons who know that they have
pre-empted without complying with the
law, to examine into this matter, and if
the report is correct, to look out for num-
Der one-either improve their land, sell
It 10 somebody who will, or do some
thing to secure II from invasion and loss.
That we may not be charged with endeay-
ering to get up q panic to brighten men
into selling their lands at a sacrifice, we
advise them, before so doing. to examine
into the matter for themselves, and ascer.
tain whether these reports are well groun-
dsd, a. we 60 not vouch for their truth.
However, We look for q confirmation
Of these rumors, and are prepared to hear
Of . general claim uprosr. Another
thing will probably have a strong tsnden-
cy toward such 9 result. While the
lands were subject to presumption, there
were large number of pettifoggers and
law sharks lowering about the Land Of
fee, who made it their business to attend
to contested claims. and seized upon ev-
cry hook and crook to get up claim dis
putes. By this means they reaped rich
harvest from the pockets of unsOphistica-
ted pre'emptors. Since the land is sub.
Jet to private entry, these claim contests
have ceased, and the lawyers, knowing
Just how the pre- emptions were obtained,
are melting and encouraging this jumping
of pre-empted lands, which will bring
them 6 richer harvest than before for
the lands are increasing in value, and
men viii pay heavy fees rather than lose
what they consider their own. Thus the
law sharks win ell thsir purses by undo
ing the very things that they were well
paid for doing. We think there is some
fire to produce this smoke; and to still
farther confirm this belief, q gentleman
informs us that he few days ago receiv-
ed q letter from q person at the Land
Office. well posted in all its operations,
who gives It as his opinion that not one
half of the Prescriptions would stand the
test. If subjected to such an investigation
Is sn attempt to rs-enter the lands would
necessarily cell for.