Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-05-26
The Acquisition Of Public Lands.

The New York Tribune gives the fol-
lowing synopsis of the rules and regula.
tions governing the acquisition of public
lands by individuals:
/. The larger portion of the unimproved,
uncultivated soil of the United States, in
cluding 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 unfit for
cultivation, large proportion is facile and
excellent, including thousands of square
miles which, being treeless and very thin
ly grassed, have been accounted desert,
but which prove quite productive when
reclaimed by irrigation.
8. As general rule, any part of this
domain not already granted to or occupied
by private owners is open to settlement by
anyone. He who "squats on a tract to
which he has no title is regarded as hold
ing it by pTe-eDlpti0n. He is, of course,
liable to be, but seldom is, dispossessed by
bona tide purchaser.
a. The government proffers a quarter
section (160 acres) to anyone who settles
upon a tract to which no adverse title or
claim exists, erects habitation, and lives
in it for five years. He has to pay for the
papers and legal formalities required,
about $40 in all. This is called making a
homestead.
5. Congress has from time to time made
extensive grants of land to States and COM
psnies, in aid of the construction of rail
roads through the public domain. These
grants are usually of alternate sections (or
square miles) for a certain distance ON
either side of the projected railroad.
q. The alternate sections reserved by the
government are doubled in price, and he
who settles on these and proceeds to ac-
quire home under the homestead act, is
allowed but eighty instead of the usual
100 acres.
Z. The general price of the public lands
is 1925 per acre, or 5000 per 160 acres.
| The alternate sections reserved by the gov
ernment along the lines of railroad, are
held at double price, or Sc so per acre,
s. The railroad companies generally
charge more for their alternate sections !;
but as the governments land is held at
| $50 per acre, and 50 acres of it may be
acquired by settlement for less than $40,
the governments sections are likely to
have the preference.
0. 1t is decidedly advisable that those
who have means should buy their lands
either OF the government or the railroads.
/
performance of the homestead require
ments, gives an instant and perfect 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. College scrip is extensively used in
purchasing by those who wish to econo-
mze. Congress, ten years or more ago,
granted to each State quantity of public
lands proportional to its representation in
that body. in aid of education in agricul-
ture in the useful arts. College scrip rep
resents these grants, and is generally pro-
durable by settlers at 81 per acre. In
large quantities it is sold somewhat lower.
A warrant of scrip calling for quarter
section will buy 100 acres; but it will not
buy 80 acres of the reserved alternate sec
tions along a line of railroad. OF these
reserved sections, 160 acres can be bought
in one tract for $500 in cash, and one 100
acre warrant or scrip. With this excep,
ton, pre-. emptors can always use college
scrip in paying for government (not rail
road companiesO lands but spectators,
who buy or hold scrip in large quantities,
are not allowed to locate mole than three
sections (or three square miles) of that
scrip in any one township. This is to pre-
vent the monopolizlng of large tracts by
means of scrip With cash, any quantity
may be purchased of the government at
the foregoing rates.
H. No one can legally locate, whether
with cash or scrip, a quarter section actu'
ally in the possession, by legal occupancy
, and residence of a 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 pre-emptions.
12. A quarter-secion of public land il
not necessarily regular quarter Of some
designated section, but may be made up o.
two eighties or four forties forming one
, compact body, though these were parts ol
| different quarter-sections technically con
! sidered.