Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-05-23
Settling on Public Lands.

In general answer to many special
inquiries, we state the following facts:
l. The larger portion of the unim-
proved, uncultivated soil Of the Unit
ed States, including nearly all that of
the States of Nebraska, Nevada and
Oregon. 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
sterile, rocky, mountainous, and thus
unit for cultivation, large proper
ton is facile and excellent, including
thousands of square miles which, be-
ing treeless and veryIhinly grassed,
have been accounted desert, but
which prove quite productive when
reclaimed by irrigation.
B. As general rule, any part of
this Domain not already granted to
or occupied by private owners is open
TO settlement by any one. He who
"squats" on tract to which he has
no title, is regarded as holding it by
Presumption. He is, of course, liable
to be, but seldom is, dispossessed by
bona tide purchaser.
4. The Government proffers quar-
ter section (l60 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. lie has to pay for the papers
and legal formalities required, about
$40 in all. This is called making q
Homestead.
8. Congress bas from time TO time
made extensive 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 Cor
square miles) for certain distance
on either side of the projected rail-
road.
6. The alternate sections reserved
by the government are double in
price; and be who settles on these
and proceeds to acquire home un-
der the Homestead act is allowed
but eighty instead of the usual one
hundred and sixty acres.
z. The general price of the public
lands is Sl.25 per acre, or 5000 for
100 acres. The alternate sections
reserved by the government along
lines Of railroads arc held at double
price. or $3.50 per acre.
s. The railroad companies general
ly charge more for their alternate sec
tons but, as the Government land
is held at $3.50 per acre, and eighty
acres of it may be acquired by settle
ment for less than $40, the Govern
ment sections are likely to have the
preference.
8. 1t is decidedly advisable that
those who have means should buy
their lnads either of the Government
or the railroads. 1t precludes all
controversy as to the due perform
ance of Homestead requirements,
give an instant and perfect title, and
enables the owner to sell and convey,
60 and come, lease or rent, without
peril of creating an adverse title or
invalidating his own.
10. College Scrip is extensively used
in purchasing by those who wish to
economize Congress, ten years or
more ago, granted to each State
quantum of public Lands proportion
ed 10 its representation ia that body,
in aid of Education in Agriculture
and the Useful Arts. College Scrip
represents these grants, and is gener-
ally procurable by settlers at 81 per
acre. In large quantities, it is sold
somewhat lower. A warrant on
scrip calling for 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 reserved sections, 100 acres can
be bought in one tract with $500 in
cash, and one 160-acre warrant or
scrip. With this exception, pre-empt-
ors can always use College Scrip in
paying for Government (not railroad
Company's) lands; but SPECTATORS,
who buy or hold scrip in large guam
titles, are not allowed to locate more
than three sections (or square miles)
of that script in any one township.
This is to prevent the monopolizing
of large tracts by means of script
with cash, any quantity may be pur-
chased of Government at the fore
gnoig rates.
IL. No one can legally locate,
whether with cash or scrip, a quarter.
section actually in possession, by le-
gal occupancy and residence, of a set
tier, though be has not paid and does
not mean to pay it. But this prin-
ciple does not apply to the alternate
sections granted to Railroads, which
do not reconize Presumption,
II, A quarter-section of Public
Lands is not necessarily a regular
quarter of some designated 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 regulations governing the &C
QUESTION of public lands by individuals,
as we understand them.