New-York tribune., 1871-05-05
SETTLING ON PUBLIC LANDS.

SETTLING ON PUBLIC LANDS.
In general answer to many special inquiries,
we state the following facts
1. The larger portion of the unimproved,
uncultiyated soil of tho United States. in
cluding nearly all that of the States of Nebraska
Nevada, and Oregon, as also of all the Terri
tories, is still the property of the Federal
Union, and is known as the Public Domain.
Q. While much Of this Domain is sterile,
| rocky mountainous and thus unfit for Guilt
walton, a large proportion is facile and excel
| lent, including thousands of square miles
| which, being treeless and very thinly grassed,
| have been accounted desert, but which prove
quite productive when reclaimed by irriga-
| ton.
8. As general rule, any part Of this Do
| main not already granted to or occupied by
private owners is open to settlement by any
| one. He who "squats" on a tract to which he
| has no title is regarded as holding it by Pre-
| emption He is of course liable to be, but
| seldom is, dispOssessed by bona tide pur-
| chaser.
! A. The Government proffers quarter Sec
| ton (1GO acres) to any one who settles upon
tract to which no adverse title or claim exists,
erects habitation, and lives on it for five
years. He has to pay for the papers and legal
| formalities required about $50 in all. This is
called making a Homestead.
s. Congress has from time to time made ex-
| tensive grants of land to States and companies
| in aid of the construction of Railroads through
the public domain. These grants are usually
of alternate sections (or square miles) for GER
= ii az Ia Of a1
Railroad.
6. The alternate sections reserved by the
| Government are doubled in price; and he who
| settles on these and proceeds to acquire q
| home under the Homestead act is allowed but
eighty instead of the usual one hundred and
sixty acres.
7. The general price of the Public Lands is
Al 25 pcr acre. or $500 for 100 acres. The
alternate sections reserved by the Government
along the lines of Railroads are held at double
price, or S2t per acre.
s. The Railroad Companies generally charge
more for their alternate sections; but, as the
Governments land is held at $2i per acre, and
eighty acres of it may be acquired by settle
ment for less than 800 the Governments sec
| tons are likely to have the preference.
| o. IL is decidedly advisable that those who
have means should buy their lands, either Of
| the Government or the Railroads. 1t precludes
| all controversy as to the due performance OF
the Homestead requirements, gives an instant
| and perfect title, and enables the owner to sell
| and convey, go and come, lease or rent, with
out peril of creating an adverse title orinvali-
| dating his own.
| 10. College Scrip is extensively used IN pur-
| chasing 10y those who wish to economic.
| Congress, ten years or more ago, granted to
| each State a quantum of Public Lands pro-
portioned to its representation in that body, In
aid of Education in Agriculture and the Use
| full Arts. College Scrip represents these grants
and is generally procurable by settlers at 81
per acre. In large quantities, it is sold some
| what lower. A warrant or scrip calling for a
quarter-section will buy 100 acres but it will
| not buy so acres of the reserved alternate sec
| tions along line of railroad. OF these re-
| served sections, 100 acres can be bought in one
| tract with $500 in cash and one 16O-acre
warrant or scrip. With this exception, pre-
emptOrs can always use College Scrip In paying
for Government mot Railroad COmpany's)
lands; but spectators who buy or hold scrip
in large quantities are not allowed to locate
more than three sections (or square miles) Of
that scrip in any one township. This is to
prevent the mOnOpozing of large tracts by
means of scrip. With cash, any quantity may
be purchased of Government at the foregoing
| rates.
| II. No one can legally locate, whether with
| cash or scrip, quarter-section actually in the
possession, by legal occupancy and residence,
of settler, though he has not paid and does
not mean to pay for it. But this principle
does not apply to the alternate sections
granted to Railroads. which do not recognize
| PreGmphOns.
12. A quarter section of Public Lands is not
necessarily regular quarter of some desg-
mated section, but may be made up of two
eighties or four forties forming one compact
body, though these were parts of different
quarter-sections technically considered
| Such is the substance of the laws and regu-
lations governing the acquisition of Public
Lands by individuals as we understand them.
We trust this compilation answers most of the
questions addressed to lis wheretO we are un-
able to give special replies.