Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-08-28
HOMESTEAD QUESTIONS An
NWEkED.

The following letter of inquiry
covers points which we may have
omitted to meet in former articles:
MADRoNA, S. P. r. r., July II, 1874
EDITOR BULLETIN Your column
of information to prospective prc-empt-
ers and homcsteaderS was most excel
ent, and will, as you suggest, be filed
for future reference. But can you not
go step further, or, rather, ada q
link OIL the first end of your chain,
and tell us how to secure survey OF
unsurveyed public land Where four
or five in township only are deslr-
Gus of permanent title, what steps
are necessary to secure an order for a
survey, and if we pay the money for
it, will it lie allowed lis in payment OF
the land when pre-clnpted? A little
light Oh that point, written as clearly
and concisely as your. other article,
will be most acceptable to ma1y sub
scriDers. \. K' r.
The Government makes an appf0-
priation for surveys of public lands III
California. The appropriation ranges
somewhere from 86O;OVo to s7O,OOO u
year. III theory the money Is expen'
ted where the greatest necessity exists
for survey. But often other interests
come in to control the expenditures.
There have been str5ug railroad inhu.
ences a.:. l:li monopoly interests
a'wa;e to direct the appropriation to
parts of the country where the III
terests seem to be specially benefited.
We cannot say that under the present
local administration any such lnf1u-
ence isallowed to control expenditures.
III the absence of any evidence we are
bound to assume that there Is no
cause for complaint,
But we know that in former times
these appropriations have been shame.
fully diverted. The whole matter OF
expenditures for surveys i'll this State
is under tue control Of the Surveyor
General.
The eleventh section Of the Act Of
Congress OF March ), 1871, reads as
follows:
That in all cases where settlers
shall make deposits in accordance
with tins act, to the credit of the
United States, for public surveys,
such amount so deposited shall go III
part payment of their lands situated
in the townships the surveying OF
which is paid for out of said deposits,
and effect shall be given to this act
by regulations to he prescribed by
the Commissioned the General Land
Office.
The Government, as will he seen
from this act, validates these special
deposits for surveys, and provides in
general terms that the amounts SO
deposited shall be credited to settlers
when payment for their lands Is
made.
The Surveyor General makes GER
ain rules governing these deposits.
For greater simplicity we copy the.
he following:
When ono or more settlers on public
ands shall apply to the SurveyorGen-
raj of the district within which such
ands are situated Cor the survey of
particular township, at his or their
that officer shall furnish to
aid applicant or applicants two sep
rate estimates, one being the cost of
he subdivisional survey Of the sur
,eyable portion of the entire township
md the other to cover the expense Of
,latting the survey as required by the
9th section, Act Of May 50, 1862, and
he resolution explanatory OF the
;ame OF July l, 1864.
Where several settlers desire the /
survey of the same township, the nee
,ssary deposits to cover all expenses
# the survey and plating may be so
so as to be proportionate
o the amount Of lands within the
ownship claimed by each settler;
his, however,iS q matter to be reg
Rated by parties applying for such
but all applicants should be
informed that the law makes no pro-
;ision for the reiunding of any excess
# the deposit ore, the ralue Of the
ands taken, the excess, however, if any,
)ver and above the actual cost of the
urrey in the field and office scorE, will
,e refunded as heretofore, under the
resolution Of Congress of Juy l, 1864.
The estimated cost of the survey of
IN entire township, 23,O40 acres, is
$1,000 in greenbacks. It may pos
IDLY be little less in fact, so that
$50 in gold will cover the cost. Any
hing over the. actual cost of the sur.
,ey Is, under the rule, returned to the
Eepositor.
As general rule, the Government
equires all entire township to be sur
eyed. But there are exceptional
asses. Thus, where but a small DOT
ion of a township is agricultural
and, the rest being rough and not
eqnired for settlement at present if
yer, surveys have been made upon
eQuest, of so much as is fit for actual
ultivation. The manner of proceed.
rg should be about as follows: Let
o many settlers a. desire lands sur.
e,ccd unite in petition to the Sur.
eyor- Geceral setting out the facts in
he case. 1T the petition show
bout how much laGsd is fit for cultiva.
ion or can be used fo.r agricultural ;
and about what i..Oportion
1 the township is undesirabis for
ach purposes. These statements
/