The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-09-08
THE PUBLIC LAND LAWS.

In response to many inquiries constantly
received from all parts of the United States,
we have prepared the following summary
of the laws of the United States under
which settlers enter upon the public lands:
THE AGRICULTURAL AND
are divided into two classes, one at SIPS
per acre, designated as minimum, lying
outside of railroad limits; the other at
$3.50 an acre, az double minimum, lying
within railroad limits. Titles are acquired
by purchase at public land sale, by ordi-
nary private entry and in virtue of the
presumption, homestead, timber culture,
and other laws. Purchases at public sale
are made when lands are Offered at pub
lie auction TO the highest bidder by procla-
nation of the President or by order of the
General and Office. Lands so offered and
not sold, and not since reserved or with
drawn from the market can be secured by
private entry" or location.
None of the lands in Northern Dako-
tn have ever been offered" at public sale,
all having been reserved for homestead, pre-
emption and tree claims on account of
their agricultural value, and because this
system is more in accordance with he in
terests of the masses, and not for specula-
tors, as under the public sale system. Sioux
hnlf-brccd scrip can be used to purchase
any surveyed land, but very little Of this
scrip IS now outstanding.
PRE-EMPTGoNs.
Heads of families, widows or single per-
sons male or female), over the age of
twenty-one years, citizens of the United
States or who have declared their intention
to become such under the naturalization
laws, may enter upon any Offered" N
"unoffcred' lands or any unsurveyed lands
TO which the Indians title is e~xtinguished,
and purchase not exceeding 100 acres under
'he prc-emption laws. After making set
Element, if on Offered" land, the applicant
must file his declaratory statement with
the district land office within thirty days, for
which a fee of $500 isrequircd, and within
one year from date of settlement max fl
nal proof of his actual residence on and
cultivation of the tract, and pay therefor Mt
Sl.25 per acre if outside of railroad limits,
or $3.50 per acre if within these limits,
and he may pay in cash or by military
bounty land warrants, agricultural college,
private claim or Supreme Court scrip.
When the tract has been surveyed and is
not Offered" land, the claimant must file
his or her declaratory statement within
three months from date of settlement, and
make proof and payment within thirty
three months from date OF settlement,
Settlement is the first thing to be done un-
der the presumption laws.
When settlements are made on unsurvey-
ed lands, settlers are required to file their
declaratory statements within three months
after the date of the receipt ut the district
land Office, or of the approved plat of the
township embracing their claims, and make
proof and payment within thirty months
from the expiration of said three months
payments the same rs in case of Offered"
land.
Pre-emptors may submit proofs of resi-
donce and improvements ut any time after
six months of actual residence. He must
show by his own testimony and by two
credible witnesses such actual residence
and cultivation-a habitable dwelling and
other Improvements, to the satisfaction of
the land officers that the spirit of the law
has been complied with.
At any time before the expiration of the
time allowed for proof and payment, the
settler may, by making proper application
ut the and Office and payment of the re-
quiTed fee, convert his claim into n home
stead, and the time he has resided upon
the Liant is credited on homestead residence
if he desires. No person who abandons his
residence on his own land TO reside on pub
lie laud in the same State or Territory, or
who owns 800 acres of land, is entitled to
the benefits of the presumption laws. 1t is
held however, that this provision does not
apply TO n house and lot in town. Claims
canuot be transferred until title is perfect
ed. The second filing of n declaratory
statement by any pre-emptor, when frst
filing was legal in all respects, is prohibited.
Before proof and payment on presumption
claims, written notice must be given by the
claimants to the Register, who must post n
notice in his office and cause the same to
be published in a newspaper nearest the
land for at least thirty days, as in cases of
homesteads.
HONTEsTEADs.
Any person who is the head of n family