, 1883-05-26
PUBLIC LANDS.

[The following exhaustive article
upon public lands was compiled with
great care for the Fargo ATgits, and
as information upon that important
subject is something that every man
visiting the territories, or expects to
visit them, is seNching for we pub
lish it in full. hyill be well for per-
sons to cut out tlfe article and save it
for reference, as it will he found to
come in handy often. The article as
it relates to taking up lands in this
territory has been carefully revised
and added too by one Of our resident
lawyers, whose experience in such
matters qualities him as authority on
the subject
The agricultural lands are divided
into two classes, one at SIPS per acre,
designated as minimum, lying out
side Of railroad limits the other at
$3.50 per acre as double minimum,
lying within railroad limits. Titles
are acquired by "private entry" by
virtue Of the prc-emption, homestead,
timber culture, desert land act saline
land act, an act of June 8, 1878, for
the sale of lands in California, New
ada, Oregon and Washington Terri
tory, and and other laws.
PRE-EMPTIONs.
Heads of families, widows or sin
gle persons Omale 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 "ofrercd" or
"unOffered" lands, and purchase not
exceeding 100 acres under said pre-
emption laws. After making settle
ment, If on "OfTered" land, the ap-
plicant must file his declaratory state
ment with the district land office
within thirty days, for which a fee
of $500 is required, and within one
year from date Of settlement make
final proof of his actual residence on
and cultivation Of the tract, and pay
therefor at sI.2j per acre if outside
of railroad limits, or $3.50 per acre il
within this limits, and he may pay
in cash or by military bounty land
warrants, agricultural college, pri-
vate claim or supreme court scrip.
When the tract has been surveyed
and is not "ofFered" land, the claim
ant must file his or her dcclaratory
statement within ,lree months from
date Of settlement, and make proof
and payment within thirty-three
months from date Of settlement is
the first thing to be done under the
pre-emtiOn laws.
Pre-emptOfs may submit proofs of
residence and Improvements at any
time after six months Of actual resi-
dence. He must show by his own
testimony and by two credible wit
nesses such actual residence and cul-
tivatiOn-a habitable dwelling and
other improvements, to the satisfac-
ton 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 at the land Office,
and payment Of the required fee,
convert his home into homestead,
and the time he has resided upon the
land Is credited on homestead resi-
dence ifhe desires. NOpersOn who
abandOns his residence on his own
land to reside on public land in the
same State or Territory or who owns
$50 acres Of land is entitled to the
benefits Of the pre-emptiOn laws. II
is held, however, that this does not
apply to house and lot in town.
Claims cannot be transferred until
title Is perfected. The second filing
of a declatOry statement by any pre-
emptor, when first filing was legal in
all respects, is prohibited. Before
proof Of any payment on pre-emp-
tion claims, written notice must he
given by the claimants to the regis
ter, who must post a notice in is Of
flee and cause the same to lie pub
lished in a newspaper nearest the
land for at least thirty days, as in
case of homestcads.
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