Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-07-18
i For Railroad Settlers. =

! y,
DEPARTMENT OF THE IsrsR1oR, Office Of the
1 feefetary. WAsHlKa1oN, D. e., July 50.
1878. Hon. J. S. Pillsbury, tiovernor Of Mn
nesota, st. Paul, Minnesota. .szz,> ., 1sss; tsss
SIR.:-I have the honor TO acknoWl-
ledge the receipt Of your letter Of the
21st ultimo, stating that under State
Legislation and recent Instructions res
ceived from this Department. relative
to the adjustment Of, the title to lands
claimed by settlers within theelimits Of
the grant to the Brainord Branch Of
the st. Paul & Pacific Railroad Com
pany, now Western Railroad Company,
Tcohstant complaints are arising from
[the advice of attorneys.of conflicting
parties, aud from the rulings ofatle
Department, under the different acts
l2ofs Congress-. authorizing preemption
and homestead settlements upon odd
sections Of railroad lands, causing great
Embarrassment; and desiring to salts.
fy fully the settlers upon the questions
at issue and facilitate the adjustment
of said claims, you desire my opinion
apon the following questions, viz:
II. There are many settlers who
claim 100 acres of odd sections, both
under the homestead and preemption
acts, (who are not discharged soldiers)
and who have made valuable improves
ments: so much so that the Railroad
Company is willing to reliuqulsh the
160 acres to the settler. Can settler
(not discharged soldieD acquire
title to 100 acres of an odd section
within railroad limits, under the pre-
emption or homestead acts, if the Rail-
road Company relioquish all claim to
such lands p .... j. -.
I'll. Can a settler preempt l60:
acres Of an odd section of railroad
lands, provided his proof is satisfactory
to the Railroad Company; and the
Company relinquishes its claim to such
lands, and ifso, can he at the time of
making final proof to his claim, drop
80 acres Of the 100 acres claimed, and
preempt the remaining 80 acres after
which, can he take the 80, acres
dropped as homestead, and acquire
title to it under the homestead act r.
ILL. Can person acquire title to
odd sections Of railroad lands, within
the limits Of railroad grants. under the
preemption act at 81 25 per acre, or
must he pay $3.50 per acre?"
NV. Is settlement, without real
occupancy and residence, sufficient to
acquire title under~t the preenfption~ OF,
homestead acts p ..
In reply to said questions have the
honor to state
I. That every person being the
head of a family, widow, or single per-.
son over the age Of twenty>one years,
and citizen Of the United States, or
having filed a declaration to become
such, as required by the naturalization
laws, who makes settlement in per-:
son, on the public lands subject to
preempticn and who inhabits and inn
proves the same, is entitled to enter
| not exceeding one hundred and sixty:
acres of land lying in contiguous
| body, upon making satisfactory proof
Of compliance with the law, and pay>
ing the Government price therefor, Of
$1:25 or $3.50 per acre, as the case
may be. 6 Stat. p. 455, 10 Stat, p.
244; Revised Stat, Secs 2257, 2259
and 2279.) ...~......:.. ''....:. -~
The homestead privilege is extend
ed to every person who is the head Of
a family, or who has arrived at the age
of twenty-on years and is a citizen Of
| the United States, or has filed his dec>
laration Of intention to become: such,
as required by Decentralization laws,
to the extent of one quarter section Of
unappropriated public lands subject
to preemption 1T s1.25 per acre !; d
eighty acres>of unapprop-iated: lands
valued g, So 50 pei acre, in conformity
with the elegal subdivisions of the pnb-
lie lands, after the same have been sur.
veyed, (12 Stat, p 1872. Revised Stat
Sec. 2289: s4& ~ s&s*, sss<.s:=s s&z :=Ess.
t Every off Ger, soldier. seaman, and
marine, who served iii the. Army, Ma:
w: or Marine corps IT IT the l1nited
States, during The recent rebellion
for ninety days, aud who was hoh:'eo;rra>
Ebly discharged, and has remained loy>
al to the sGoverplnent, i. entitled to
entera160 acres of land, valued at, Ell
tber l.25 o. 81 So per acre as the
case may be. (17ss Stat, ,. ss3 Re-