The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-04-21
GOVERNMENT LAND.

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GOVERNMENT LAND.
What the Settler is Required to do to Ac-
t,,iirc Land Under the Homestead, Pre-
c,nptioi, and Timber Culture Acts.
The following summary Of the provisions
Of the three several Land Laws will be good
for everybody interested in such things TO
save:
THE HOMESTEAD ACT.
The applicant must be citizen of the
United States, or take out his first papers
declaring his intention to become Il citizen.
He must be twenty one years old, or the
head of il family. He may enter 100 acres
or any subdivision thereof. The Land Of
flee fee is $1S if the land is within the rail-
road limits, or $14 if without that limit.
The applicant is required, within six
months from the day Of filing, to have a
house built, and his family moved on the
claim. His residence must be continued
one for five years. He is not, however, re-
quired to live on it day or light continuous
ly, but he must not be absent more than
six months at any one time. A longer, abb
sence will forfeit his claim. At the explra-
ton of five years residence he submits his
proof that he has lived on the land and cul-
tivated it. He then gets his patent (deed
from the President of the United States.
Any contract to convey portion or the
whole of his claim before making final
proof destroys his right. An abandon
ment Of claim. or change Of residence,
works forfeiture. An unmarried woman
may take a claim, and, if she marrles,
continued residence on the land will give
her title in her own name. Any time after
six months of actual residence, the occu
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his land at the rate of $3.50 per acre, ii
within railroad limit, or $1.25 without.
This does not effect his rights as a pre-
emptor. A homestead can not be taken for
past debts.
A soldier who served in the war of the
rebellion on the Union side mas right to
take lien on 100 acres for six months upon
the payment of 50. This may be done
through an attorney in fact. Evidence of
the militia service of the applicant must be.
submitted ut the same time. The soldier
is given year from date Of filing his lien
to build his house in and move on his
claim. Every year of service in the army,
not exceeding four, is deducted from the
FIVE He must live at least one year on the
homestead, whatever the length of his mill
tary service.
THE PRE- EMPTIONACT
The application for a pre- emption must
possess the same qualification as the home
stead settler. The preemptor can take 100
acres or any surveyed subdivision thereof.
Within ninety days after making his settle
ment, he must file at the local Office notice
giving the government survey and the date
of his settlement or first improvements.
a plain statement of tie facts written by
himself and sent by mail. Within thirty
three months from the date of this
settlement the claimant must submit his
final proof. He must sho " both a residence
and cultivation of the land for agricultur-
al purposes, habitable dwelling, and an
amount of other improvements, like plow-
ing, stable, we'll, &c.-that will be satisfac-
tory to the land officers and evidence of a
compliance with the spirit of the law. The
financial circumstance of the preemptor,
the AGRA claimed, and the quality and the
general character of the land are considered
in determining the sufficiency of the i'm
prOvements.
The time of settlement and actual resi-
dence are strictly inquired into. After six.
may submit his final proof of the requisite
Improvements. He must appear in person
at the Land Office and give his testimony,
and produce two creditable witnesses who
will swear to the same facts, If the wit
ness live at distance and their presence
would be both expensive and announcement,
their af6davits may be taken before any
officer qualified to administer an oath un-
der the territorial law. Upon making his
final proof the preemptor may pay in cash,
military land warrants, Supreme Court or
Louisiana script. Within the land grant
limits OF any railroad the preemptor pays
$3.50 per acre or $500 for his 100 acres.
If outside of that limit he pays 81 Is per
acre or 5000. Any time before the thirty
three months expires the claimant may
convert his claim into a homestead fee.
No person who quits or abandons his resi-
dence on his own land in the sane State or
Territory, or who owns 800 acres OF land
anywhere tbs entitled to the benefits of the
presumption law. These disabilities, how
ever, do not apply to homestead or timber
culture act. The privileges of the acts can
not be duplicated or repeated. Claims be-
fore the perfection of title are not trans
ferable.
THE TIMBER CULTURE ACT.
The Land Office fee under this act upon
making an entry is $l4. The applicant is
entitled to enter $50 acres on any section
naturally devoid of timber. It must be the
whole section that is devoid of timber-not
the 100 acres alone. Only one tree claim
can be taken on section. 1t takes eight
years under this act to acquire title, but
actual residence is not one of the requisites
in getting it. The first year the claimant
breaks five acres; the second year he cul
tivates that five to crops and breaks five
more; the third year he plants the first five
acres in trees and cultivates the second five
to crops. The fourth year he plants the
second five in trees, and then has ten acres
Of trees growing, SO that he can show, on
the day of final proof, $3.50 living trees.
but no other expense in securing titles.
GENERAL REMARKS.