Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-04-05
THE SOLDIERS HOMESTEAD
Lsfuv.

President Grant has signed the bill origi-
nally introduced by Gen. Logan in the
House, and pressed through to final pas
sage by him in the Senate, which permits
the Union soldier of the late war 10 locate
and enter upon a quarter section of the
public land, under the homestead law, and
to deduct the term of his service from the
time hitherto required in order to perfect
the title. The act provides that every pri-
vate soldier and officer who served in the
army of the United States during the re-
cent rebellion for ninety days OF more, and
was honorably discharged, and has re.
NAMED loyal to the Government, shall be
entitled to enter upon and receive patents
for quantity of public lands, not mineral,
not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres,
or one quarter section, to he taken in COM
pact form, according 10 legal sub di visions,
including the alternate reserved sections of
public land along the line of any railroad
or other public work not otherwise re-
served or appropriated, and other lands
subject TO entry under tie homestead laws
of the United States, provided that said
homestead settler shall be allowed six
months after locating his homestead, with
in which to commence his settlement and
improvement, and provided also that the
time which the homestead settlers shall
have served in the army, navy, or marine
corps, shall be deducted from the time
heretofore required to perfect the title. If
discharged on account of wounds received
or disability incurred in the line of duty.
then the term of enlistment shall be de-
Quoted from the time heretofore required
to perfect the title, without reference to the
length Of time served provided, however,
'hat no patent shall issue to any home
stad settler who bias not resided upon inn
proved and cultivated his said homestead
for period Of at least one year after he
shall commence his improvements.
The third section provides that in case of
The death of any person who would he en-
Titled to homestead under the provisions
OF the section, his widow, if unmarried, or
IN case OF her death or marriage, then his
minor orphan children, by a guardian duly
appointed and officially accepted at the De-
partment of the Interior, shall be entitled
TO all the benefits enumerated in this act,
enlistment, the whole term of his enlist
ment shall be deducted from The time here
toiore required to perfect the title.
The fourth section provides that where
party at the date of the entry of "a tract of
land under the homestead laws, or suisse
quently thereto, was actually enlisted and
employed In the army or navy of the Uni
ted States, his services therein shall, in the
administration of said homestead laws, be
construed to be equivalent, to all intents
and purposes, To a residence for the same
length Of time upon the tract so entered il
his entry has been cancelled by reason OF
his absence from said tract while in the
military or naval service OF the United
States, and such tract has not been disposed
OF, his entry shall he restored and con-
hrmed, and If such tract has been disposed
Of said party may enter another tract sub
ject to entry under said laws, and his right
TO patent therefor shall be determined by
the proofs touching the residences and cul-
tivation of the first tract and his absence
therefrom in such service.
The fifth section provides that any sol
dier, sailor, marine, officer or other person
coming within the provisions of this act
may as well by an agent as in person enter
upon said homestead, provided that said
claimant In person shall, within the time
prescribed, commence settlement and i'm
provement on the same, and thereafter full
I'LL all the requirements of this act. The
bill in the sixth section provides that the
Commissioner of the General Land Office
shall have authority to make all needfu
rules and regulations to carry into efiec
the provisions Of this act.