National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-06-02
Settling on Public Lands,

In general answer to many specia
! inquiries, the New York 7riJHne stat
; the following facts:
j. The larger portion Of the uninl
, proved, uncultivated soil Of the Unite
States, including nearly all that of til
: States of Nebraska, Nevada, and Oregon
us also Of all the Territories, is still tn
property Of the Federal Union, md
known rs the Public Domain.
2. While much Of this Domain
sterile, rocky, mountainous, and thu
unfit for cultivation, large proportio
is facile and excellent, including thou
sands Of square miles which, being tree
less and very thinly grassed, have bee
accounted desert, but which prov
quite productive when reclaimed by il
rigotion.
g. As n general rule, any part of thi
Domain not already granted to or oc
cupied by private owners is open to set
tlement by any one. lie who "squats
on n tract to which he has no title is re
garded as holding it by Presumption
He is of course liable to be, but seldom
is, dispossessed by JO,d fie purchaser
4, The Government proiiers Il quar-
ter section (l60 acres to any one VIII,
settles upon tract to which no advers,
title or claim exists, erects habtation
and lives on it for five yea s. He has t.
pay for the papers and legal formalitie'
required, about $50 in all. This is called
making II HomsStead.
,. Congress has from time to time
made extensive grants of land 10 States
IL IN, II ,f tha
of Raiiroo3S through the public domain.
These grants are usually of alternate sec-
tions (or square miles, for certain dis
tance ON either side OF the projected
Railroad.
&. The alternate sections reserved bv
the Government are doubled in price ;
and he who settles Oh these and proceeds
to acquire a home under Homestead
act, is allowed but eightV instead of the
usual one hundred and sixty acres.
7. The general price of the Public
Lands is Fl % per acre, or 5000 for 100
acres. The alternate sections reserved
by the Government along the lines of
Railroads are held ut double price, or
-. 80 per acre.
s. The Railroad Companies generally
charge more for their alternate sections );
but as the Governments land is held at
S25 per acre, and eighty acres of it may
be acquired by settlement for less than
500 the Governments sections are like
ly to have the preference
8. 1t is decidedly advisable that those
who have means should bUy their lands,
either of the Government or the Rail
roads. 1t prsc'udes all controvers as to
the due performance of the Homestead
requirements, gives an instant and per-
feet title, and enables the owner to sell
and convey, go and come, lease or rent,
without peril of creating an adverse title
or invalidating his own.
10. CoHege Scrip is extensively used in
by those who wish to econo-
mize. Congress, ten years or more ago,
granted to each State quantum of
Public Lands proportional to its repre-
sentation in that body, in aid of Edu-
'ation in Agriculture and the Useful
Arts. Cdiege Scrip represents these
grants, and is generally procurable by
settlers at ST per acre. In large guam
.ities, it is sold somewhat lower. A
warrant or scrip calling for a quarter
section will buy 100 acres but it will
5ot buy so acres of the reserved alternate
sections along line of railroad. OF
,hese reserved sections, 1G0 acres can be
bought in one tract with $500 in cash
md one 16O-acre warrant or scrip. With
he exception, pre-emptors can always
lse College Scrip in payment for Gov
not Railroad Company's
ands but spectators who buy or hold
Grip in large quantities are not allowed
0 locate more than three sections or
quare miles of that scrip in any one
ownship. This is to prevent the mono
olizing Of large tracts by means of
Grip. With cash, any quantity may be
of Government at the forego-
ng rates.
II. No one can legally locate, whether
nth cash or scrip, quarter-section ac ,
ually in the possession, by legal oc-
upancy and residence, of settler,
hough he has not paid and does not ,
lean to pay for it. But this principle
oes not apply to the alternate sections
ranted to Railroads, which do not re-
ognize Pre- emptions.
II. a quarter-section of Public Lands
not necessarily "A regular quarter of
Dme designated section, but may be
lade up of two-eighties or four-forties {
'rming one compact body, though these ,
ere parts of different quarter-sections
considered. c
Such is the substance of the laws and I
'gulations governing the acquisition of s
ublic Lands by individuals, as we I'M Il
'rstand them. C