Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-22
RAILROAD LANDS.
New Plan of sale Adopted by the Central
Pacific.
Isan Francisco Bulletin. Jplv

[San Francisco Bulletin. July alstl
\ new policy with regard to the sale of
lands has been begun in the Land Office of
the Central Pacific Railroad. Heretofore
II has been matter for complaint that
great deal of land was bought and held BY
SpeculatorS, who did nothing toward the
development of the country but, on the
contrary, retarded ii by holding their land
for high prices. 1t has been determined
to Go all that can be done 70 break up this
practice, and TO encourage settlement and
cultivation of the land. To this end it has
been decided to sell no land to any person
who Will not occupy and improve it, and
to such persons, except to those who wish
cattle ranges, a reduction in price from 80
| to 10 per cent. will be made But the rail-
road Will control the land until ii has been
improved by the purchaser in the manner
proposed, and retains the power of prevent
ing its sale to spectators. Each applicant
for agricultural land must certify the use
to which he proposes To put it; that he will
within three months enter upon il and be-
gin improvements; that the application is
made on his own behalf; that he will not
sell o. attempt to sell without the consent
of the Land Agent and that an assignment
without consent shall be declaration of
his abandonment of his rights
The application must be signed in the
presence of two witnesses. If the appli-
cant does not enter upon and commence
Improvement upon the land within the
time specified, no second application from
the same party for the same land will be
! received. In the event of such failure the
land will be open to second applicant.
Permission to assign the rights will be
given if deemed advisable by the Land
Agent, but all assignments made without
such permission first having been obtained
will be construed to be an abandonment of
all rights conferred. The improvement of
twenty acres is good as to an application
Tor eighty acres The Improvement of
forty acres will hold one hundred and sixty
| acres, and the improvement of one hun
dred and sixty acres is deemed "cultiva-
ton within the meaning of the applica-
ton as relates to six hundred and forty
acres.
Timber land has been a great field for
the operation of the speculator and vast
tracts have been bought up and held until
the needs of sawmills will force them to
pay eXtortionate prices. Such monopoly
is seen to work to the disadvantage of the
great lumber interests, which are often
seriously crippled. To prevent this it has
been determined to sell timber land only
to those who will make a more advanta-
Gcous use OF it. Applicants are therefore
requested to certify that the land is neces-
sary for the prosecution of enterprises in
which they are engaged, and that it will
not be held for speculative purposes
In the case of grazing land it has been
the custom for persons to purchase range
of $40 acres where there is water and
thereby obtain, through this water supply,
virtual control and actual use of ten miles
square of grazing land, thus enabling them
to raise a stock vastly in excess of that
which they could do on the range actually
owned by them. 1t is therefore stipulated
that the range should be fenced to keep the
owners stock within it. Applications for
grazing land will not be received for less
quantity than all the grazing land that the
company owns in the section; and if at the
time of final purchase, the applicant has
made no improvement, but has simply
used the land as open range the applicant
shall be deemed to have acquired no rights
or equities under this application, except as
relates to lands in the State of Nevada, and
Territory of Utah, wherein the requirement
of building fences shall not be deemed to
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