Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-09-19
The Land Laws.

There are several millions of acres of public lant
yet remaining In this district, subject to entry. Mucf
Of this land is the very best quality for agriculture
purposes, while there is a vast area that experience
mas shown to be the very best grazing land in thu
west. A party intending to locate a claim should
either make personal inspection of the land he intend.
has made personal inspection of the land. After ar
entry has once been made, even if it is found to b.
worthless, 1t Is very difficult and In most instances i'm
possible to obtain the privilege of making anothe,
entry.
The public lands In this Territory are subject tc
entry under the homestead, presumption and timber
tered under each law. A party can make a homestead
and timber culture entry, or a p%re-emption and tiIabel
culture entry, at the same time but he cannot take a
homestead and presumption claim at the same time
A party who is twenty one years Of age, or who il a,
the head of Il family can make an entry Of public land
A woman who is the head Of a family, OF a single
entry of public land.
only those persons who are native born citizens OF
the United States, or who have declared their intention
Of the land laws. No person Of foreign birth can o.
tain any right to land BY actual settlement before he
has declared his intention to become a citizen; hence
the frst thing that . person Of foreign birth, who in.
tends to enter public lands, should do upon his arrival
Is TO go before the Clerk of the court and declare his in
ten IT, to become q citizen. Noparty who is the owner
OF s1o acres OF land In any State or Territory can take
q ~emp claim; neither can any person who leaves
land Of his own in this Territory to 70 upon the public
iand obtain any presumption right by settlement,
Ownershipt to land 10 no bar to making a homestead
entry. To make q legal presumption claim, a party
should first make actual settlement upon the land. and
then within ninety days from such settlement. he
should NE MS declaratory statement in the local land
once. A ming made without prior settlement IL mill
ana VOID and ccnfers no right upon the settler, and even
II ne has valuable improvements and has been an actual
resident upon the land his claim ia subject to forfeiture
N the presence ofan adverse claim, or even when there
fs no adverse claim. Hence, no PARTY should fila i do.
claratory statement for land until after he has made an
actuai settlement upon the same. The law allows
ninety uAvQ from 1nff1onopf IN u,1,;oy, a. IL - ~,
pafty's right dates from the time of setllementand not
from the time of filing.
a party can obtain a legal right to one hundred and
fxty acres under the presumption law prior to the snr.
Wy OF said tract ~ making settlement upon the same
In making settlement upon unsurveyed land the act
tier tier, should !iss first designate the tract claimed by him by
well defined land marks. If this is done thu right of a
subsequent settler upon the same tract will lie subject
to the right of the first settler. The right of a settler
dates from the date Of his settlement upon the land,
and he Ia allowed ninety days after the township Mai
IL fled In the local land Office in which to file his pre.
enptlon declaratory statement. After an actual resi-
aehce 81 six months upon land a settler can make nay
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. or course
payment cannot be made for land until after it is sur-
veyed and comes into market. A party possessing tho
same legal qualification as a presumption claimant can
.1he one hundred ana sixty acres under the homestead
law. Under the presumption law q party acquires his
right by actual settlement under tho homestead lava
party can gain an actual right by making an entry Mt
the local land office. and then he is allowed six months
from that date in which to make his actual settlement
anu estabiish his residence. A settler can make pay
ment for his land at 81. 20 per acre after six months con.
tinuous residence and Improvement ofthe land.or if he
cohtnues ms residence for five years he can obtain title
TO the claim without payment. Payment at 81. % per
acre can DO made for land at any time during five years
IRON date OF entry, after six mon:hs residence next pre-.
ceeding the payment. If it is shown that a party has
abandoned his land for a period of six months the entry
is subject to forfeiture.
A party can take one hundred and sixty acres under
tne TIMBER culture act. The requirements of this law
are thai the party shall break five acres during the
hrst year from date of entry; during the second year he
must cultivate to crop or otherwise said five acres and
Dreak fve acres, more and the third year he must plant
me nrst hve acres to trees, seeds or cuttings, and cult.
sate me second fve acres to crop or otherwise. and the
fourth year the second five acres must be planted to
trees, seeds or cuttings.
Alter fulfilling the requirements of the timber. cul.
ture law as above stated, the claimant can make 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, as Is the requirement under
the homestead and pre-elnption laws. Under the tim
ber-culture act only one tree claim can be taken in a
section.