Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-10-24
The Land Laws.

There are several millions Of acres of public land
yet rsmainipK in this dlstric, subject to entry. Much.
., nos .so While II 'f aS, qsif !. 1ss Ss aa. arss . ,Ga ss snperienos
has shown to bo the very best grazing land In the
west. A party intending to locate . claim should
either make personal inspection Of the land he intends
to enter, or have the report Of some trusted friend who
has made personal inspection of the land. After an
entry has once 'een made, even II It Is found to ie
worthless, 1t is very difficult and In most instances i'm
possible to obtain the privilege Of making anotllcr
The public lands in this Territory arc subject to
entry under the homestead, presumption and timber
tered under each q A party can make q homestead
and timber culture entry, OIL presumption and ti,lter
culture entry. at the same time but he cannot take u
A party who Is twenty ono years Of age. or who is at
tho head Of q family can make an entry Of puplic land.
A woman who Is the head of = family, o, q single
entry Of public land
Only those p. rsons. who sre native born citizens Of
the United States, OF who have declared their intention
to become citizens can avail thems lives Of the privilege
of the land laws. No person Of foreign birth can %.
tain any right to land by actual settlement before he
has declared his intention to become . citizen; hence
tends to enter public lands, should do upon his arrival
il to go before the Clerk Of the court and declare his In
tention to become acitlzen. Noparty who Is the owner
Of $40 acres Of land IN any State or Territory can take
a presumption claim; neither can any person who leaves
land of Ills own in this Territory to 90 upon the public
land obtain any presumption right by settlement.
ownershipto land j. no bar to making homestead
entry. To make a legal presumption claim, a party
should first make actual settlement upon the land, and
then within ninety days from such settlement, he
should file his decla1tory statement In the local land
Office. A filing made without prior settlement Is null
and void and ccnfers no right upon the settler, and even
fhe has valuable improvements and Inns been an actual
resident upon the land his claim is subject to forfeiture
In the presence ofan adverse claim, or even when there
is no adverse claim. Hence, no party should file 9 de.
%claratory statement for land until after he has made an
actual settlement upon tho same. The law allows
n3nofv hoca fpnNN aoff1oFnonf in v1,3oS, Ho 4 - Al.
party's right dates from the time of settlement and not
from thc.timc of filing.
A party can obtain a legal right to one hundred and
ixty acres under the presumption law prior to the sur.
wy of said tract ~ making settlement upon the same
In making settlement upon unsurveyed land the set.
tier should first designate the tract claimed by him by
well defined land marks. If this is done the right of a
subsequent settler upon the same tract will be subject
to tho right Of tls first settler. Tho right of u settler
dates from the date of his settlement upon the land,
and he Is allowed ninety days after the township pla]
IL filed in tho local land Office in which to file his pre-.
emption declaratory statement. After an actual resi-.
dence Of six months upon land a settler can make pay.
payment for the land at any time within a period Of
thirty three months from the date of settlement after
showing a continuous residence upon the land for six
months prior to the date Of making proof. Of course
payment cannot be made for land until after it is sur.
veyed and comes into market. A party possessing the
same legal qualification as a presumption claimant can
l take one hundred and sixty acres under the homestead
law. Under the presumption law a party acquires his
right by actual settlement: under the homestead lava
party cap gain an actual right by making an entry Of
the local land Office. and then he is allowed six month";
from that date In which to make his actual settlemen,
and establish his residence. A settler can make pay
ment for his land at $1.25 per acre after six months CON
tinuous residence and Improvement ofthe land. or if he
continues his residence for five years he can obtain It'll,
to the claim without payment. Payment at S.. 25 pol
acre can be made for land at any time during five year.
from date of entry, after six months residence next pre-
ceeding the payment. If it is shown that a party ha,
abandoned his land for a period of six months tho entry
is subject to forfeiture.
A party can take one hundred and sixty acres undo,
the timber culture act. The requirements of this Law
are that tho party shall break five acres during til,
first year from date of entry; during the second year HI
must cultivate to crop'or otherwise said five acres ant
break five acres, more and the third year he must plan
the first five acres to trees, seeds or cuttings, and cult
vate ths second five acres to crop or otherwise. and til,
fourth year the second five acres must be planted Il
trees, seeds or cuttings.
After fulfilling the requirements of the timber.cu
ture law as above stated, tho claimant can make hna
proof at tho end Of eight years and acquire title to hi
tree claim" without payment of 81. 25 per acre. or an,
sum, to the government, as is tho requirement unde
the Homestead and %pre.empaian laws. Under the tim
ber-cnlture act only one tree claim ran be taken In
section