Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-02-28
The Land Laws.

There are several millions Of acres of public land
yet remaining in this district, subject to entry. Much
Of this land is the very best quality for agricultural
purposes, while there Is q vast area that experience
has shown to be the very best grazing land in the
west. a party intending to locate a claim should
either make personal inspection of the land he intends
70 enter, or have The report of some fru stel friend who
has made personal insp, ctivn Of the land. after nm
entry has once cen made. even If it is found to be
worthless, It Is very din cult and in most instances i'm
posslhle to obtain the privilege of making another
entry.
The public lands in this Territory are subject to
ehtr! nn's"r the homestead. IRE rmrtiun and timler
culture Laws. tine hundred ind sixty acres can be en-.
Tered under each law. A party can make Il homestead
ana Timber culture entry. or II prescription and timber
culture entry. at the same time, hui lie cannot take a
hohiestea' and presumption claim at tho same time,
y laIty who is twenty one year, of age. or who is at
the head Of IL fanil. can make an entry Of public hand.
a Woman WHO is the head ot II family, .. n single
woman VII" is over twenty-one years Of age eau make
entry of public land.
only ,se p rs"ns who are native born citizens Of
the lnited States. or who have declared their intention
10 tecon" citizens can avail thems lives of the privilege
ol the and laws. No ersnn of foreign birth ran d.
tam any rihht to land by actual settlement efore he
mas declared his Intention 10 become u citizen; hence
"a hrst thlnG that n leis.n Of foreign birth, who in
tends TO enter public lands. should do u)un his arrival
is TO- 90 before The Clerk IF the court and declare hi. in
tcntion To ec' NE II ci,izrn II. No party who is the uv uer
of 30 acres Of land in nIy State or j erritor. can take
a pref mpti"n claim: lit, ,her can any ,rer.nn who /, ayes
lam! # Is own in This Territory to e. upon the public
AN"' ""'''' "HS luNtIhItlOb jlRnt Nv settlement.
ownership to hand is no bar to making II homestead
entry: 10 make Il legal %ple.emltion claim. a party
sh"uid hIst n'"k" actual settlement upon the land, and
then within ninety days from such settlement, he
should fill his dccIaia,oiy statement in he local land
once. a ming made without prior settlement / null
and v'id and c"nfers no right upon the settler, and even
II Il" has valuable improvements mni Lus been an actual
resident upon the land his claim Is subject t. forfeiture
IN the Prtnence Oft universe claim, or even when there
II no adverse claim Hence. IL" pat, should file q de-
clarNtory st, temcnt for land until after he las made an
actual SET lenen upon the same. The law allows
ninety days from settlement IN which to Ale, and the
from the time Of filing.
a party can obtain u legal right to one hundred and
Sixty acres under the presumption law prior to the sur
wy OF said tract ~ making settlement upon the same,
IN making settlenient upon unsurveyed land the set
tier should frst designate the tract claimed by him by
well defined land marks. If this is done the right Of
subsequent settler urUn the same tract will be subject
To the right of til. first settler. The right of n settler
date. from the dnte Of his ettlemrnt upnn the land.
"nd he j. allowed ninety days after the township plat
IL Med in tho local land office ia which to file his IRE.
e.mption doclaratory statement. After TN actual resi-.
dehce OF six months upon land u settler can make nay
ment for the same Al 81 .25 per acre. He can make
PAYMENT for the and at any time witt in n Period of
thirty three months from the date of settlement after
showing II continuous residence upon the land for six
months prior to the dnte Of making proof. of course
payment cannot be male for land until after it is sur
veyed and cun,cs into market. A party possessing the
same legal qualification as Il pre-emltion claimant can
Jake one hundred ana sixty acres under the homestead
law. | nder the presumption law h party acquires his
Fight by actual settlement: under the homestead lava
PARTY can gain an actual light by making an entry at
the local land Office, und then lie is allowed six months
from that date in which to make his actual settlement
and establish his residence. A settler can make nav.
m+nt for his land a, 81 - per acre after six months con.
t'nuons residence and Improvement OF the land.o or If he
continues his Residence for five years he can obtain title
TO the claim withuu, payment. Payment vt 81. Is Der
ncre can lie made for land at any time during five years
from ohtc "f entry, after six mun:h lis residence next pre-
ceeding the payment. If it is shown that II party las
abandoned his land for u period Of six months the entry
is subject 10 forfeiture.
A party Gun take one hundred and sixty acres under
Inc timber culture act. The requirements Of this law
are that the party shall break five acres during tho
frst y'nr fiom date Of entry: during the second year he
must cultivate To crop or otherwise said five acres and
m"tk h's acres. more and the third year he must plant
'f' 'lr,f hvc acres To trees. seeds Or cuttings, and cult
sate IN second FIVE acres to crop or otherwise. and tile
fourth year the second five acres must be planted to
tees. seeds TT cuttings.
Alter fulfilling the requirements Of the timber Gull
ture law as above stated, the claimant can mako final
proof at the end Of eight years and acquire title to his
tree CLAIM" without payment of Sl.25 per acre. or any
sum. to the government. US is the requirement under
the homestead and presumption laws. Cnd.r the tim
her-cnliur- act only one tree claim can be taken in a
section.