The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1872-06-20
Information TO Settlers in Regard
10 Public Lands.

= - - 4 :
T Inf0rmatiOn TO settlers in Regar,
= 10 Public Lands.
Mr.. EDrToR Knowing as lido the amour
J of Misrepresentation existing among the set
!, tiers upon our public lands IN reference /,
their rights as actual settlers. and also il
referencesto to what the laws require of then
% such, am impelied 10 ask you to Riy.
publicity to the following facts which nj,
long practice in public land cases enables ll,t
TO state, tnat our hard toiling pioneers ma,
lose no right which they may have acquired
by early settlement upon the public lands ii
this Territory.
Ihe time now draws nigh when those who
settled and filed their presumption claims
! prior to July ~, 1870, are required by law TO
present at the Land Office their final proofs
anu HIKE paynleHt Iur their pres InuIion
claims, or on failure fllereof their claims will
become forfeited. The time allowed by law
U which to do that expires the l4th day Of
July next, and there is no relief fur those
who tail Or neglect to comply within the
time prescribed; their lands in that case are
classsd the same as unclaimed, Or unlmprove,
lands, and subject to claim or entry 81 any
qualified settler; within the boundaries OF
the North Pacific Railroad reservation. thar
PORTION OF such forfeited claims are raised ia
double minimum, or 81 50 per acre, and can
only PC entered BY any subsequent settler ut
that rate lexcepta soldier who has served al
least ninety days IN the Federal Army. or
seamen in the navy during the rebellion. nay
homestead lle lGO acres). and settler who shall
forfeit his claim as above mentioned. if he
"a mas never made homestead entry; may,
alter such forfeiture OF his presumption clam.
enter ll4. eighty acres thereof lying contiguo is
under the Homestead act, il he docs 50 be /
fore any other qualified settler takes adyai-
tage OF such forfeiture by lawfully making
either pre-emptiOn or Homestead claim to the
land. But settlers should well understand
tnat matt they cannot, after forfeiting their pre-
right, change to q homestead entry
the entire l6O acres they fled on If located on
an even numbered section, as they could
have done before the railroad withdrawal nf
Tor claim under q homestead entry
~ no case dates prior TO the date OF its entry
upon the Land Office records. And such
portion OF the forfeited claims as are located
lpon the odd sections within the lines Of
Withdrawn lands are, by a decision of che
commissioners OF the General Land Office.
'eld lt.' as are all lands upon those sections
vhich have been claimed under tie Pre- !
mption or Homestead acts, but which claims I
ave since been reiinQMshed or aDandoned. ~
till subject to claim and entry at 81 as per Q
ere, II 50 actually claimed and settled prior y
the tillng BY the North Pacific Railroad q
'ompany OF their map of the definite loca-
On OF the road in the Commissioner IS Office. i
inch has not yet been done, the existing 4
'lthdrawal being, It seems. based Oh i NAB Q
preliminary line. and the order Of with G
raWal was designed to embrace all odd Sec 81
oiis OF lands to which the United States e
louid have full title ut the date OF fhe defi- al
te location OF he road. But no claims ca,, v
now flled on those odd sectioas, unless the u
10 was, or had been, cIaimed, or filed upon n
entered under der the Homestead acI by some 81 81
ttler prior to May 9Th. 1879, the dste OF "a
in this Territory.
So, in case the settlers entire pre-einption
I'm is upon s,lcii odd section, it would y ulee
e.n by the decision referred to that he -
gnt change and enter the whole tract a ~ ~
mestead. Prescription claimants upon ~
rveyed lands are required by law to file y =.
III claims within three mouths from their =
e settlement on the land. aud those who p,' :.
q their claims il the i4nd ofsce since july eu
1870, are allowed BY law two and . half ~. wa
,rs fo ma.a tto;r ,,,..1,,esf 80 tlii
g qualify to enter land under the Pre- -
ptloil act, proof is required thai the set y
has house on the land iii witch he has ..''
ID and made his exclusive home for 1t s'ls
Il six months next preceding his applica- "
! to enter the land. spe
he North Pacific Railroad Company also va ~
horize settlan,ant s,,,o, ,,ta.. ls',, a.so piis
sectlos.s-iin advance OF their being APP 10 a:a,
sed or offered Tor sale, ss will be seen hy 81
following resolution. adopted October 80
!, 1871: ssa
80. IA 3g8ls she
iaads Of the North Pacific Railroad Comp nv sald
re tney are brought into narkers snd, as ,oa God
ley ais appraised aud ready IOr sale, ma. have -
rst pr, iege OF purchasing them apon me reg r0u
terms g sale md q he regular sueh wor
: - sIen locaitlss, which prices will be fixed W,
out reference to the lmproysIne ma g5#s5- NOR
sois. hpMeser a1s timber can BE on the s; !,
any ianaS tilefe must be aijsu ute pur- sssiu
oI she lands or timber, spsaiaI contract and
,fi1Inx the timber 80 be cut egFi fgssfs s M 80
, u viii be seen, the railroad laid are 81,
a,ttlar on t1ns. ,a,as .,s' .'.ns''ss ana try |
right by the company, to 49,, ~.