Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-09-22
Homesteads and Homesteaders.
THE WHAT, THE HOW, AND THE WHY
OR A HOMEsPUN CATECHISM
FOR HOME HUNTERS.

| -"Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and
hath settled on his lees,-and hath not been
emptied tIom vessel to vessel, therefore his
taste remained in him, and his scent is not
changed"
"Homesteader" is a word unknown to
photographers. You will discover it mel.
Their in Worcester nor in Webster una
bridged. When John Bull hears of it be
will bully it as an Americanism. But be.
yond the Mississippi it is familiar honse'
| hold word, it is a title which every tenant
in our country should aspire to, and
which he may obtain if he will, thus be-
coming the peer of his landlord. The
first time ever heard the word Home
steader" was last November, when cross
ing the ferry over the Missouri to Platts-
mouth, in Nebraska. Wind, current and
sandbars were too much for our craft, so
that we were afoat seven hours before we
could land. [ am glad to add that we
were among the last unfortunates who
thus watched and waited, for the Bur
lington and Missouri River Railroad Com
pany have already stationed there a trans
fer steamer with powerful engines which
makes il trips in fewer minutes than the
hours which those of the old boat often
consumed. Among the wagons on my
tedious passage, l noticed one carrying
under its white cover an emigrant with
wife, young children, and household stuff.
When inquired why they We're ventur-
ing into country unknown and unsettled
Just as winter was setting in, the woman
answered, "Wby, sir, we have bought out
'homesteader,' and shall move right into
his cabin"
"Homesteaders" would multiply could
we keep it before the people-the whole
people, how to become one-how easy 1t
is-and how much more truth than poetry
turks in the song that Uucle Sam is rich
enough to give us all farm. According.
ly in hope of aiding the homeless who are
in quest of homes. write down the an
swers I have srequent occasion to make to
the questions of homestead hunters, trans.
lating legal gibb~rish into our vulgar yer.
nacular.
l. What is homestead?
1t is%a farm given to any man, OF
woman, who will live on it, or cultivate
il, for five years. say ''given," for The
charges are only about ten cents an acre
- that is the cost of surveying and record
ing, amounting in all, for one-fourth of {
square mile, to eighteen dollars at most
and four dollars of this sum are not pay
able for five years.
II How large farm is a homestead
1t is a farm of one hundred and sixt,
acres, except on tracts, one-half of which
has been granted in aid of railroads o
r other public improvements. On sucl
tracts homestead is of no more thai
half the usual size.
; III. Who may become homesteader
1 Any man, or any woman-that is, an.
native of legal age, and any foreigne
. who has declared his intention to becom
o citizen, which any immigrant may d
= on the very day that he lands in America
t ANY man in the military or naval servic
!, may also become homesteader by a
9 affidavit before his officer that such is hi
4 desire, provided that some number of hi
J. family is residing-in Western pdrlane
e "squatting"-on the laud he wishes t
get for his home ...
q ". How does one become a home
>. steader?
G He goes to any United States Ian
u office, and there has free access to maI
) showing all the vacant lots in the neigl
r. boring region. He then goes and e.
h amines lots, picks out the one he like
It best, returns to the land Office, makes a
application according to the legal form
! furnished by the officer there, for that |,
& as his Homestead, leaves these forms fl
1t record, pays at most fourteen dollars, an
n is henceforth monarch of all he surveys c
Il the farm of his choice.
Il But homesteader is not obliged to S
d at all in person to the government Ian
office In most cases he can ascerta
a from local agents and residents VIII
- lands are vacant, and then make his a
.. plication for the homestead he wishes
a. occupy, before the clerk of the court
it the county where it lies.
y V. How soon may Homesteader beg
= to occupy his land?
Is At any time within six months after b
p. application is put on record, and he ms
atjourney away from his land at will, if n
d. absent more than half year at once.
VI. Can a Homesteader become fl
= owner of his farm sooner than at the Ell
8. of five years2