Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1885-05-20

no reason to doubt that, improvements of
substantial character having been made,
so that the prover-up will be ENTITLED to a
patent, funds can be borrowed, if neces-
sary, by mortgage on the land. Yet the
obtainmsnt of money in this way is some
thing to be avoided. In this part of Da-
kota in addition to commissions, loan
agents charge 10 per cent interest, and
many make advances on claims only for
term of several years. The law gives 33
months in which to make payment for
pre-emption. If the pre-emptor is un-
able to save enough money during this
time with which to pay for his claim, the
chances are that he cannot do so after it
is plastered with mortgage, and notes
bearing 12.per-cent interest. OF course,
failure to lift such mortgage throws the
land into the hands of the speculator, and
result is brought about which is unsst-
isfactory to the settlers as whole, whose
interests require that the public domain
should 20 into the possession of actual
residents. We truly believe that d ma
lority of the claims which are placed
within the death. grip of the land pawn
brokers will ultimately revert to them in
full.
In the matter of "tree-claims, any ac-
tion by the land authorities which COM
pels Observance of the laws will receive
the unanimous Endorsement of all honest
citizens. Trees have grown and will
grow here if properly cultivated, and it
is to the interest of everybody that hold
ers of lands under the timber. culture
act be forewarned that in order to receive
patents they must plant and carefully
attend to the raising of the specified num-
Der of trees.
In the lights apparent to the RECORDS
vision, with honest detectives, the result
will be just this: An end will be put to
proving up on two or three Cultivated
acres and twenty-dollar ''house." This
every one who intends to make home in
Dakota desires to see brought about.
The new ruling will discourage nom
residents from entering land for speculat-
i've purposes, to prove up on which they
expect to depend moro upon elastic con-
sciences than on improvements made.
1t will work no hardship to the bona .fide
settler who intends to put every dollar he
or she can save over current expenses into
the Improvement and adornment OF
HOME; and, finally. it takes away the
premium placed upon false swearig and
subornation of perjury.
The new departure will probably do
mora temporary damage to Dakota's s
newspaper publishers than to any other
class, except the ''snide'' provers-up. as
it will postpone final proofs in many in,
stances until the law is complied with.
But to the Journalist who comes to stay,
the saving of lands for actual settlers, and
the making of honest, substantial i'm
provements by people who intend to
build homes, 10 a matter of much more
concern than the immediate gathering in
of fees for land notices.
IT, then, great care shall be taken in
the appointment of detectives, and pro-
vision made for appeal in case of their
wrong>doing; if visits of investigation
are made Immediately after final proof,
and if the patent soon follows favorable
report, much good and little evil will re-
suit to those who have chosen Dakota and
other regions of the New West and North
west as permanent place of abode.