The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1871-06-20
Presumption and Homestead Laws.


The following letter, containing
valuable information regarding the
laws governing preemption and home
steads on Government lands, was re-
ceived by the Farmers Club from II.
Marshall Deming, of City Park,
Kansas "In the session OF April II /,
Mr.. Lyman read paper for the in
formation of those who wish to emil
CRATE West, in which there are some
misstatemepts which write this to
correct. Speaking of the twenty-mile
strips of land in what are known as
railroad limits, he says: "These belts
of land are laid out in checkers of one
square mile. The odd squares belong
to the country, the even squares to the
railroad. These odd square miles
cannot be bought at the Government
price; they are reserved for home
steads. Any family man can have
title to an eighty-acre homestead by
going and settling on it. Any soldier
of the late war who can show an
honorable record receives twice as
much as another citizen-he gets 100
acres Further on, he seems to use
the terms preempt and homestead in
terchangeably. Now, LIST, the even
numbered squares are the ones which
belong to the country and out of
these the squares numbered 10 and SO
are reserved for public school pur-
poses. I'd. The Government disposes
of this land the same way that it does
other public lands, except that the
price is doubled, and one can only
homestead half as much, SO that the
Government actually receives as much
revenue from the railroad belts as
from other portions of the public do
main. The only exception to this is
the case of honorably discharged
soldiers, who can homestead as much
in the railroad limits as out of it.
These lands can be bought at Govern.
ment price $3.50 per acre, by actual
settlers. THIS constitutes what is
known as preemption. Any citizen
twenty.one years old, or the head of q
family, can preempt 100 acres. A
land warrant can be used, as in the
case of other lands, by paying extra
5000; that is, land warrant and
5000 will preempt 100 acres. Two
land warrants cannot be used on one
piece of land. Sd. The homestead
right is not restricted to family men.
Any citizen who is twenty .one, or who
is the head of family, male oil
female. 1t is not necessary that they
be twenty.one if they are heads O
families. One who has preempted car
homestead, but one cannot preemp
who has homesteaded. 4th. A home
stead settler does not have to pay fol
his land as the preempter does. III,
pays the Office and survey fees, 81
for so acres, at the land office when h,
makes bis entry, and when he gets hi
title when he can prove five years
actual residence on the land, withou
further expense. Many persons want
ing 100 acres in the railroad limit
build on the line separating the tw'
eighties, and then preempt one eighty
and homestead the other, preemptin,
first-both could be done the sam,
day. A person wishing to locat'
should decide which section of tn,
country he desires to examine, and g
to the land-office and get township
plots, with the land which is open t.
settlement marked on them. They
cost 81 each, and man by spending
few dollars this way can save man,
times us much by the readiness witt
which he can find u suitable tract no
already taken"