The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-12-28
THE PUBLIC LANDS.

THE PUBLIC LANDS.
A Decision Important for Settlers-Relief
for Grasshopper Sufferers.
The Secretary Of the Interior has
made an adverse decision relative to
the claim of John Kimper, of the st.
Cloud District, Minn., to enter home
stead upon the lands within the six
mile limits Of the grant for the St.
Paul & Pacific railroad, Brainerd
branch. The decision is a very
lengthy one, and reviews the entire
legislation on the subject. The Secre-
tary decides that the company never
complied with the requirements of the
section of their enabling act, and,
therefore, obtained no extension of
time; that the act was never opera
tive as to the company, and conferred
no rights upon the settlers. The Sec
rotary says had the company complied
with the terms Of the act it would
have been forfeiture Of such lands
as had been actually settled upon, and
the rights of their settlers and gran
tees could have been protected, but
the company not having accepted or
complied with the conditions Of the
act, the Secretary is of the opinion
that it is not operative for any pur-
pose, and therefore denies Kimper's
applications and all similar applica-
tions made under the act of June %,
1874, till further legislation is had to
declare forfeiture Of the rights Of the
company to the land included in this
grant to the United States. This de-
cisiOn covers very lang interests in
Minnesota.
The bill introduced by Senator Win
dom for the relief of settlers on public
lands authorizes homestead or pre-
emption settlers on any public lands, or
presumption settlers OF Indian reserva-
lions, where the crops were destroyed
or severely injured by grasstoppers in
the year 1876, to leave and be absent
from said lands until the 1st of next
July, 1915, without impairing their
rights, homestead or presumption, if
they afterwards resume and perfect
their settlement. The bill also express
ly extends their time for making final
proof, and payment for one year after
the expiration of absence above con-
templated, and further more provides
that all the proposed rights and privi-
leges above stated shall apply to and
include settlers under the Timber
Culture act of March, 1873.
Representative Strait has introduced
a similar bill as follows:
Be it enacted, etc., That it shall be
lawful for homestead and presumption
settlers on the public lands, or pre-.
emption settlers on Indian reserva-
tions, where crops were destroyed or
seriously injured by grasshOppers in
the year eighteen hundred and seven.
ty-six, to leave and to be absent from
said lands until the first day of July,
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven,
under such rules and regulations as ia
proof of the same as the Commissioner
Of the General Land Office shall pre-.
scribe; and where such grasshOp.
pers shall re-appear in eighteen hund.
red and seventy to the like
destruction or injury of the crops, the
right to leave and be absent as afore-
said shall continue to July first,
eighteen hundred and seventy-eight
and during such absence no adverse
right shall attach to said lands, such
settlers being allowed to resume and
perfect their settlement as though nc
such absence had occurred.
Sec. 2. That the time for making
final proof and payment by pre-emp
tors, where crops have been destroy
ed or injured as aforesaid is hereby ex.
tend for one year after the expira
ton of the term of absence provided
for in the first section of this act +; and
all the rights and privileges extended
by this act to homestead Eahd pre-emp
ton settlers shall apply to and include
the settlers under an act entitled "Ar
act to encourage the growth OF tim
her on western prairies,' approved
March third, eighteen hundred and
seventy-three, and acts amendatory
thereof.