The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-01-14

amend the homestead law, p sssed the
senate. The first section provides for
the repeal of the Presumption law.
This repeal, however, will not effect
the rights of any p .rson which are
accruing on the passage of The act.
1t further provides that any per-
son who has not heretofore had the
benefit Of the pre- mption law and
who has failed from any cause 10 per-
Sect his title to the land heretofore
entered by him under the homestead
laws may make q secODd homestead
entry in lieu of the presumption priv
ilege, which is repealed.
The second section repeats the
timber culture law with the prOvis-
ion it shall not interfere with exist
ing rights.
SecilOn three amends the revised
statutes 50 that persons who have
awaited themselves of the homestead
laws may pay the minimum price
for lands after ]S months from the
date of entry; Provided they file
their preliminary notice six months
betOr,.
Section four repeats the desert land
act except al to claims which exist
at the date of the passage OF the act.
Section five provides that no public
lands except abandoned military or
other reservations, mineral lands and
other lands the sale of which Will be
authorized by a special act of con.
gress, shall be sod at public auction,
Or by special or private entry, all Of
fered public lands are Withdrawn
from market and shall be disposed
of as unoffered public lands.
Senator Dnlph, IN the report ac-
campaigning. the bill says: Under
the present laws any lerson can ac-
Quire title to 1GO acres under the pre-
emptiOD and honc,tead and timber
culture acts, or 4SO acres in all. The
committee is of the opinion that the
time has come to limit the acquire
ment Of government land 10y one per-
son to 16O acres. Another reason for
the repeal of the preemption act, is
the alarming increase Of fraudulent
claims under 1t lately reported. 1t
has been charged this fault was in
the execution of the law, but the
committee is of the opinion the law
contains such inherent defects that
fraudulent entries cannot be wholly
prevented. The increase of fraudu-
lent entries is due. to The decreased
value of land and consequent greater
Inducements offered for the evasion
of thelaw. The repeal of the lumber
culture law Is recommended bt cAuse
it has proved a failure. Tue report
continues: Experience has demon
strated that the desert land act, in
stead of securing the settlement and
r. clamation of desert lands by actual
settlers has been made the mea of
securing fraudul mt title to sgricul-
tural lands. There is a rapidly grow
lug sentiment in this country for ITS
repeal. All laws providing for the
disposal of agricultural public lands.
except the homestead law, snail pro-
vide that the public domain shall
hereafter be res. rived FIR homes for
settlers. The committee is of the
opinion this should be the future
policy of the government. Even if
settlers are restricted to l6O acres it
will be but comparatively Il lew years
before all the pdblic lands suitable
tor homes will be exhausted.
The house c,mmittee on pensions.
bounty and back pay to day heard
c ,mmlssi0ner of pensions Clark on
he ACCESSIBILITY of appointing d state
pension agent 10 reIrespnt the claim
ants of each state. The commissioner
was present at the request of the
committee He Thought such ap-
pOintments would greatly facilitate
the business of the 'tfice. Frequent
~ the pension Office has been coIn-
nelled to write d. many IS even
letters y day to as may congressman
who had Inquired abuut the same
case. Between December 1st and
10th last. the Office answered about
1910 letters from congressman.
Much delay in the tus,n. 50 of the
office is Occasloned by diff .rent m-m-
bers of congress ealing up the same
case. The views If the commissioner
were obtained for the purpose of
securing legislation, if ro,slble, to
facilitate the business OF the pension
bureau.
The bill to retire Gen. Grant is now
on the speakers table and will be
called mp on the first opportunity.
Gen. Rosecrans will oppose the bill
when it ONE up for discussion.
Cyclones in the South.
MONTGOMERY, Ala, Jan. 12.-The
cyclone Of Sunday night was not con-
fined in one section of the site, but
mas been heard from iE several ic-
callties. AT Macon county, about
40 miles east Of Montgomery, three
men were killed. In West Albany
great damage is done in the way OF
blowing down timber and houses,
and some more lives are reported
lost.
MACON, Ga, Jan. PA cyclone
passed over the adjoining county OF
Jones at IL O'clock last night, sweep
ing everything in it's track. Large
oaks were twisted like straws. Ohe
large orchard was estrOyed; the roof
Of R.. d. Testers dwelling is Il COM
pl+te wreck, and no fences remain.
Lester was thrown against the man
tel and slightly hurt. The mex; place
struck was Geo. Perdue's, where neBr-
ly all the houses we're destroyed and
the corn and fodder blown away.
The cyclone then passed over to
B Aldwin county, destroying every
thing in it path ; dwellings, gin
houses. barns, fences, horses and
mules were blown away, aud several
persons We're injured, but no lives
lost. The oar Of the cyclone was
heard distinctly eight miles away.
SELMA, Ala. Jan. IL. Specials to
the Times tonight report y cyclone
last night, passing through Hale,
Perry and Bibb counties. in this
state, in a direction from southwest
to northeas1. Great damage Was
done to houses and fences near the
timber in Its path, which was alb )ut
u mile wide. Ia Blob county, nea
Centreville, it is reported that q man
unknown was killed, and Mrs.. Mason
sustained serious INJURIES. Several
mllls were wrecked. Near Randolph
two mules were killed. A strong
house, a mile away from its path,