The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-09-28
The Land Sales.
We published some weeks since, the
following paragraph in the daily and weekly

We published some weeks since, the
following paragraph in the daily and weekly
editions of our paper:
AN IMPORTANT SUGGESTION.
Poor settlers, who have a claim of l6O acres,
can preempt, say forty, or eighty. or one
hundred and twenty, just as they have the
means, and let the remainder 60 to the govern,
ment. This is better plan than to sell their
stock at low prices. And when they are better
off, and need more land, if they have the money,
they will get it cheap enough within the next
five years. tuol
We regret to learn that it is impossible,
under the ruling of the Land Department,
for settlers to carry out the above suggestion.
The Commissioner of the General Land
Office, in letter to A. G. SMITH, Esq, of
Forest City, under date of August 10Th,
says -
In reply to your letter of the 10th inst, l
have to state that the rule referred to, that s'a
claimant is bound to prove his right to, and
enter, all the land embraced by his declaratory
statement, if liable to the operation of the act"
has been strictly adhered to by this office,
whether the land be offered or unoffered. This
office is constantly suspending presumption
claims, where the pre-emptors have failed to
enter all the land filed for, and in no case has
the rule been departed from, where the Dor.
ton not entered, was stable to the operation
of the act" except in cases where that portion
had already been sold, or otherwise legally
appropriated. Inability to pay for all the
land filed for, has not been lawful excuse for
not entering it.
In regard to the particular case embraced in
your second question, in which the claim of
the settler consists of two classes of lands, one
subdivision being offered, and the other unof-
fered, would prefer not to give an opinion
until an actual case is regularly and legally
brought before the Office for decision.
Very Respectfully. your ob't serv't,
J. S. WILSON, Commissioner.
The New York World of a late date,
publishes the following article
CHANCES FOR GOOD INVESTMENT.
The short crops of the last two years, and
general business depression at the West, have
nowhere borne more heavily than on the new
settlers OF Minnesota, who have established
redemption rights on the government lands.
Instead OF accommodating, as they had hoped to
do, the means of purchasing their farms when
they came into market, it has taken all they
could scrape together to fence them in, and to
erect shelters for their families, their crops,
and their cattle; and many of them are more
or less in debt even for these improvements.
AT TINS moment, so inOpportune for the settlers,
the public lands of Minnesota are advertised
by the government for sale on the I'D of Octo-
Der. and the presumption claimants are re-
CURED to make payment prior to the day of
sale, or they forfeit their lands and all the i'm.
provements they have put on them.
In this state of things an appeal is made to
eastern capitalists for assistance and relief,
which can be rendered in manner that will
be for the advantage of both parties. We have
seen letters from Minnesota, suggesting that
land warrants, which can be purchased here
at discount, be procured and entrusted to
faithful agents in that State, to be loaned to
settlers who have acquired presumption rights,
with mortgages on their land as security. The
security would be ample, as it would cover the
improvements as well as the land. Twelve per
cent interest could be obtained, as well as a
handsome profit on the land warrants. The
nortgagor of the premises would, of course,
make waiver, as he is authorized by the law
of the State to do, of the right of redemption.
One gentleman writes that, in the county
dred we'll improved and valuable claims, that
have been settled from two to four years, that
must be paid for or forfeited before the ed of
October. Another writes that he knows of
hundreds of farmers who have Improvements
worth from $500 to $1,000, or upwards, who
cannot possibly raise the money to pay for
their land by the time required.
We ask attention to these opportunities to do
good to others and benefit ones self at the
same time and if any person having either
land warrants or money which he would be
willing to dispose of in this way, desires more
specific information, he can obtain it by inquir.
ing at the office of the World.
We believe that Eastern capitalists will
find no difficulty in loaning large amounts
of land warrants to farmers in this State,
at handsome advance on New Y ork rates,
amply secured by mortgage, and bearing
interest at from ten to fifteen per cent. per
annum. We do not think they can use the
warrants to better advantage, than in the
manner indicated in The World.