Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1872-02-10
SETTLING ON PUBLIC LANDS.
GENERAL ANSWERS TO MANY SPECIAL
INQUIRIES
From the Cincinnati Pimes.l

From the Cincinnati PiHies.
/. The large portion of the unlm-
proved uncaltivated soil of che United
States, including nearly all Of that of
the States Of Nebraska, Nevada ana
Oregon, us also of all the Territories, is
still the property of the Federal Union,
and is known as the public domaiG.
:. While much of the domain is
steri e, ror.ky mountainous, and thus
unfit for cultivation, large proportion
Is f,rsiIe and excellent, including thous-
anIs Of square miles which, being tree
less aud being very thialy grassed. have
been accounted desert bat which proved
quite productive when reclaimed by ir-
rigation.
3 As general rule, any part of
this domain not already granted to or
occupied by private owners IS open 10
settlement 10y any one. he who
" squnts" oa tract to which he has no
title, is regarded as holding it by pre-
cmption H. is Of course liable TO be,
fbut seldom is, d,spossessed by a bone
!. fie purchaser
1. The Government protFers a quar-.
ter section { 100 acres to any Que who
set les t,pou a tract to which 40 adverse
title or claim exists, ereets a hubitaton,
and lives on it for five years. He has to
pay for the papers and legal formalIties /;
requiring about $50 in all FhIs is
called making homestead.
5. Congress has from time to lime
made extensive grants of laad to States
aud companies in aid Of the eonstruc-
ton Of railroads throagh the pablic do
nan. These grants are usually # al.
ternatc sections, Cor square miles,, for u
certain distance on either side td the
pr,j cited raiIroad-
IT, The alternate sections reserved
by the Government are doubled III
price aud he who settles on these aud
proceeds TO acquire home under thc'
homestead act Is allowed hut eighty in
stead of the usual Que huntred aud
sixty acres.
7. The general price df the pub
ic lands is ) - per acre. or $500 tor
l60 u res The alternate sections re-
scr.ed by the government along the
lines of railroads are held at double
price, On g 5O per acre.
5. The rAiiroa companies generally
charge more for their alternate sections
bnt as the Governments land is held at
s. 30 per acre. and eighty acres II il
may be acquired BY settlement for less
than $40, the Government sections are
Likely te have the preference.
g. 1t is decidedly advisable that
those who have means should buy their
lands, either of the Government or of
the railroads 1t preciules all contro-
vcrsy as to the due performances Of the
homestead requirements, gives aa IN
slant and perfect title, aud euables the
owner to sell and convey. 90 aud come
lease or rent, without peril of creating
an adverse title or lnvalidatisg his own.
10 No one can legally locate,
whether with cash or scrip. quarter
section actually in the possession, by
occupancy and residence, Of settler,
though he has not pad aud does not
mean to pay for IT, But this principle
docs not apply to the alternate sections
granted to railroads, which do net reeos
nice pre-emptions.
il. A quarter section Of public land
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,
technally considered.
Such is the substance Of the laws and
regulations governing the acquisition OF
public lands By individuals, as we un
derstand them We trust this comps
lation answers NEST of the questions ad.
dressed to as wherete we are unable to
give special replies