Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-06-10
ACQUISITION or PUBLIC LANDS.

The acquisition of public lands has
been, and is yet, matter of great~im>
portancc to many OF our citizens and
the public generally. The modus oper-
audi of obtaining them is not as tho
roughly understood as it should be, and
for the benefit of those who may be
profited thereby, we copy the following
synopsis from the New York Tribune !:
|. The larger portion of the unim>
proved, uncultivated soil Of the United
States, including nearly all that of the
States of Nebraska, Nevada aud Ore
gon, as also of all the Territories, is
still the property of the Federal Union,
and is known as the public domain.
2. While much of this domain is ste.
rile, rocky, mountainous, and thus unfit
for cultivation, large proportion is
facile aud excellent, including thou.
sands of square miles which, being tree.
less and very thinly grassed, have been
accounted desert, but which prove quite
productive when reclaimed By irriga
ton.
3. As general rule, any part Of this
domain not already granted to or occu.
pied by private owners is open to settle
ment by anyone. He who " squats" on
tract to which he has no title is re-
garded as holding it by pre- -emption
He is, of course, liable to be. but sci.
dom is, dispossessed by bona .ftk
purchaser.
1. The Government proffers a quar-.
ter section (l60 acrcs) TO anyone whc
settles upon tract to which no adverse
title or claim exists, ereets habitation
and lives IN it for five years. lie has
20 pay for the papers and legal formal
tiles required, about $50 in all. This j.
called making homestead
5. Congress has from time to time
made extensive grants Of lands to State.
aud companies in aid of the construc,
ton of railroads through the public
domain. These grants are usually o.
| alternate sections (or square miles) for
| u certain distance on either side OF tht
| projected railroad
/ q. The alternate sections reserved bJ
| the Government are double in price
/ aud he who settles on these, and pro
cecds to acquire a home under til,
/ Homestead Act, * allowed but eight,
! instead OF the usual loo acres.
T. The general price Of the pubi'
lands is 81 - per acre, or $500 Ier th,
i60 acres The alternate sec,ions re
served by the Government along th,
lines of railroads ire held at ioabl,
prices, or - 30 per acre.
s. Tie railroad companies generally
/ chafge more for their alternate sections
| but as the Government land is held a
81 30 per acre, aud eighty acres Of i
may be acquired By settlement Tor les
than $40, the Government sections arr
likely to have the preference.
0 It is decidedly advisable tha
| those who have means should buy theil
| lands either OF the Government or ths
railroad companies. Ii precluies al
controversy Us to the due performance
of the homestead requirements, give,
an instant aud perfect title, and enable.
the owner to sell aud convey, 90 and
come, lease or rent, without peril 0
creating an adverse title or inyalidatin.
his own.
10. College scrip is extensively used il
| purchasing by those who wish to econ
omize. Congress, ten years or more
ago, granted tp each State quantity o
public lands proportioned to its repre-
sentation in that body. in aid of educa
ton in agriculture and the useful arts
| College scrip represents the grants, auc
is generally procurable By settlers a
81 per acre. In large quantities il il
sold somewhat lower 4 warrant o
scrip calling for quarter section vii
buy l60 acres ; but it will not buy 81
acres of the reserved alternate sections
along line OF railroad. OF these re
served sections, 160 acres can b.
bought in one tract, with $500 in cash
and one 100 acre warrant or scrip
With this exception, .emptors cai
always use college scrip in paying fo
Government (not railroad company's
lands; but spectators who buy or hol'
scrip in large quantities are not allowed
to locate more than three sections 20
three square miles) of that scrip in an,
one township. This is to prevent th'
monopolizing of large tracts by mean
of scrip. With cash, any quantity ma.
be purchased of the Government at th
foregoing rates.
IL. No one can legally locate
whether with cash or scrip, quartz
section actually in the possession, b.
legal occupancy and.residence, of a set
tier, though he has not paid and doe
not mean to pay for it. But this prin
| ciple does not apply to the alternat
| soctionsa granted to railroads. which d