The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-11-21

four and five months standing are yet
unposted upon our records, and large
number of official letters which came
four, five and six months ago, have
not yet been reached for examination
and reply in the regular order of bus
mess.
In order that the reduced force of
this office may be enabled to most eff
fectually bear the great burden of work
thrown upon it, | must call upon you,
the District officers, to exercise the
greatest care in the preparation of pa
pers and cases submitted to this office,
and to give extra personal attention to
the duties which law and instructions
impose upon you.
| call your special attention to the
following brief instructions which,
being faithfully remembered and
needed by you, will obviate the neces-
sity of great deal of unnecessary
correspondence which wastes valuable
time and causes delay.
First, as to names-When a party
applies to make an entry, you will i'll
sist that he shall write or give his
name pIainly and mtuH At least one
Christian name must be written in full
in application and certificate, as pat
ents cannot issue to persons where
their Christian names are indicated by
initials only. Do not issue final home
stead papers in a case where the name
of the party is not plainly and uni
formly subscribed and written in the
original and final papers, except upon
atidavits fully explaining the discrep-
ancv. Names of minor orphan chill
dren Of n deceased soldier, when final
entry is made in their behalf, must be
furnished from the records of the Pro
late Court.
Second, as to cash entries-You will
allow no private cash entries until you
are fully satisfied that the tract is
'offered" land and free from conflict
Whenever you are authorized to re-
store to market an isolated tract, you
must cause publication to be made in
a newspaper having a general circula-
ton in the vicinity of the land, and
your notice must fix the hour as well
as the day of sale, in order that all par
ties wishing to compete for the privil-
eye of purchasing may have an equal
chance Never send to this office the
"applications" in private cash entries.
Retain and carefully file them in your
own office.
Third, as to homestead entries-Do
not send to this office any homestead
application where the affidavit is made
before clerk of court except the
party shall swear therein that he OF
some member of his family is resid-
ing on the land at the date of his aft,
davit.
Require all homestead applicants to
make affidavit that they have never
before abandoned or perfected an entry
under the homestead law.
Consult your plats of survey and be
careful to give the exact area in certif-
icate and receipt, and if there be an
excess in area over that allowed by
law, be sure to collect the amount due,
for which the Receiver will issue an
excess receipt.
You will carefully examine home
stead proof in each case, and if you
find it correct in all respects as re
quired by law and instructions, you
will write approved on the same, and
subscribe your names underneath. If
anything be wanting to perfect the
proof, call for supplemental atfidavits
and have the want supplied before
transmitting the same to this office.
Never send up original certificates of
naturalization or discharges from the
army. Certified copies of the origi-
mails should be forwarded. To return
the originals, when called for, breaks
the files of this office.
When homestead proof is made be-
fore a Judge, his signature and official
character must be certified to by the
clerk of the court, under seal. When
homestead proof is made before clerk
of the court, said clerk must always
certify to the absence of the Judge of
said court.
In all cases hereafter, you will re-
quire that homestead proof shall be by
questions and answers, as per new
forms recently sent you.
Whenever you notify parties of the
expiration of time for making final