Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-08-02

twenty-five miles beyond the buffalo re-
mains in undisturbed possession of the
wilds. Wichita owes its rapid growth part
ly to its location, and partly to the acute
ness of the man who owns the town site,
who, with sagacity far in advance of the
mole-eyed wisdom of most spectators, has
so far refused to sell town lots atany price,
but has given any person who wished to
build, chance to choose from any lots in
town, only STIMULATING thatthey shall COM
mence building within thirty days By
this means he has placed the success of the
town beyond doubt, and in time will Sc
cure rich returns from his remaining lots.
| was at Wichita on the 4th of July, and
the day was celebrated in frontier fashion.
Two bufaloes had been brought in the day
before, one of which was barbacued to
furnish meat for free dinner; and the
other, a live, young one, was hitched on
the grounds as a curiosity. The day pass
ed pleasantly and without discord, though
it was suggestive of other scenes to see half
a dozen men among the crowd, each with
two huge revOlvers and bowie knife in
his belt.
Many persons who come to Kansas are
too sanguine in regard to the chances for
preempting land. Some have come here
with the idea that they could get govern
ment land, with wood and water, situated
near large towns, but | believe was free
from any such delusion. There are chan
ces to preempt or homestead public land
with wood and water, but to get such land
person must go back from the settle
ments. Timber is not very necessary un-
less for stock farm; and water can be
obtained by digging from ten to thirty feet.
If good, high prairie is wanted, Butler Co.,
the promised land-would do very well,
as in that county there are thousands of
acres lying nearly level and with good
crop of grass, which is true indication of
the quality of the soil. This land can be
taken as hOmesteads, or preempted at 81 %
per acre, and ! think comes into market
April 1871
The most of it lies along the White Wat
er, and between that stream and the Ar
kansas. l will quote a little from the
homestead and preemption laws in force
in regard to public land. The preemption
act of Sept. 4, 1884, provides that Every
person being the head of family, or wild
ow, or single man, over the age of twenty
one years, and being a citizen of the Unit
ed States, or having filed declaration of
intention to become citizen, as required
by the naturalization laws" is authorized
to enter at the land Office 100 acres of I'M
appropriated government land by comply
ing with the requirements of said act.
1t has been decided that an unmarried
or single woman over the age of twenty
one years, not the head of the family, but
able to meet all the requirements of the
preemption aw, has the right to claim its
benefits. Each qualified preemptor is per-
mitted to enter 100 acres of either mini
mum or double minimum lands, subject to
preemption, by paying the government
price, S1.25 per acre for the former class
of lands, and $3.50 tor the latter class.
When the tract has been surveyed, but
not offered at public sale, the claimant
must file within three months of the day
of settlement and make proof and pay.
ment before the day designated in the
presidents proclamation offering the LAND
at public auction. When the tract is Of
fered the party must file his declaratory
statement within thirty days from the date
of his settlement, and within one year from
the date of said settlement must appear
/ before the Register and Receiver and make
proof of his actual residence and cultiva
ton of the tract, and pay for the same with
cash or military land warrants. Fina
proof and payment cannot be made unit
the party has actually resided upon the
land for a period of at least six months
and made tie necessary cultivation and
! Improvements to show his good faith as al
actual settler. This proof can be made by
any witness. In preempting, the claimant
must not be absent from his claim thirty
| days at one tine. Section LIST OF the home
stead law provides That any person who
is the head of q family, or who has arrived
at the age Of twenty one years, and is {
4 citizen of the United States, and who shall
have filed his declaration of intention t.
| become such as required by the naturaliz
alton laws, and who has never borne arm!
against the United States Government, Oh
/ given aid or comfort to its enemies, shall
| from and after the first of January 1868, b.
entitled to enter one quarter section or {
less quantity of unapprOpriated public
lands upon which, said person may have
filed presumption claim, or which may b
at the time the application is made be sub
.ject to preemption at S1.25 or less per acre
or eighty acres or less of such unappropri
ated lands at $3.50 per acre, to be located
in body in conformity to the legal subdi
visions of the public lands, and after the
same shall be surveyed" Section 4tE
provides "Tha5 no lands acquired under
the provisions Of this act shall in any event
become liable for the satisfaction Of any
debt or debts contracted prior to the issu
ing of the patent therefor" Section 9Th
provides "That no person that has served
or may hereafter serve for period of no
less than fourteen days in the army of tht
United States either regular, or volunteer
under the laws thereof during the exist
ence of actual war, domestic or foreign
shall be deprived of the benefit of this act
on account of not having attained the age
of twenty-one years" A great many have
preempted claims within the last six
months. The most of them erect rough
board shanties, break up few acres o
prairie, dig a well, and start with the in
tention of making a permanent residence
others, who do only what they are obliged
to in order to obtain the land, sometimes
build rude habitation, but as often OBJ
tain the land by perjury with the aid o
an accomplish, who will swear to anything
for five dollars. One day, miles from any
house, we came upon a settler who hao
adopted novel mode of fulfilling his OBJ
legations. He had picketed his horses OF
the prairie, placed his wagon body on thu
ground with the cover on, set up a stove il
one end of his wagon, and was preemptinG
his claim. With his water cask, rifle anC
an indispensable six shooter, he was mon
arch of all he surveyed, a bona fide resi-
dent. Frontier life is rather rough lifi
at first; but if person is willing to pu
up with privations at the start, to "sit Oh
| one hOS and aot from anotherO a few wear