Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-10-31
The Land Laws.

There are several millions of acros Of public land
yet remaining In this district, subject to entry. Much
Of this land Ia tho very best quality for agricultural
purposes, while there 10 a 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
to enter, OF have the report Of some trusted friend who
has made personal inspection Of the land. After an
entry has once leen made. even If It is found to 10
possible to obtain the privilege Of making another
entry.
The public lands in this Territory are subject to
entry under tho homestead, prescription and timber
culture laws. One hundred and sixty acres can be en-
tered under each law. A party can make q homestead
and timber culture entry, or a presumption and tilaber
homestead and presumption claim ut the SAME time.
A party who is twenty one years Of age. or who is ut
the head Of a family can make an entry Of puplic land.
A woman who is the head of Y family. o, q single
woman who is over twenty-one yeans of age can make
entry of public land.
Only those prisons who are native born citizens OF
to become citizens can avail thems lives of the privilege
Of the land laws. No persOn Of foreign birth can OBJ
tain any right to land by actual ettlement before he
has declared his intention to become q citizen; hence
the first thing that a 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
Of $50 acres Of land In any State or Territory Gun take
u presumption claim; neither can any person who leaves
land Of hts own in this Territory to go upon the public
Ownership to land ia no bar to making a homestead
entry. To make a legal prescription Claim, q marty
should first make actual settlement upon the land, aud
should file his dcclaratory statement in the local land
Office: A filing made without prior settlement IL null
and void and ccnfers no right upon the settler, and even
If he has valuable improvements and has been an actual
resident upon the land his claim is subject to forfeiture
in the presence ofan adverse claim, or even when thero
is no adverse claim. Hence, no party should file . de.
actual settlement upon the same. The law allows
ninety days from settlement In which to file, aud the
party's right dates from the time of settlement and not
A party can obtain a legal right to one hundred and
wy Of said tract BY making settlement upon the same
In making settlement upon ansurveyed land the set
tier should first designate the tract claimed by him by
we'll defined land marks. If this Is done the right Of 4
subsequent settler upon the same tract will be subject
to the right Of tho first settler: The right Of q settler
dates from the date Of his ottlement upon the land,
and he IL allowed ninety days after the tuwnship pla,
IL filed in the local land Office in which to file his pre-.
emption declaratory statement. After An actual resi-
dence Of six months upon land q settler can make pay.
ment for the came At $l.26 per acre. He can make
payment for the land at any time within . period Of
thirty three months from the date of settlement after
showing a continuous residence upon the land for six
months prior to tho date Of making proof. OF course
payment cannot be made for land until after 1t is sur.
veyed and comes into market. A party possessing the
same legal qualification ~ a presumption claimant can
take one hundred and sixty acres under the homestead
law. Under the presumption Law aparty acquires hi
right by actual settlement: under the homestead lava
party can gain an actual right by making an entry al
the local land office. and then he is allov1d six month,
from that date in which to make his actual settlement
and establish his residence. A settler can make pay
ment for his land ut 81. rs per acre after six months CON
tinuous residence and improvement ofthe land or II HI
continues his residence for Ave years he can obtain It'll.
to the claim without payment. Payment at 81. 25 pei
aero can 10 made for land ut any time during FIVE year
from date of entry, after six months residences next pre-
ceeding the payment. II II Is shown that . party ha
abandoned his land for u period Of six months the enr,
is subject to forfeiture.
A party can take ono hundred and sixty acres undo
the timber culture act. Tho requirements Of this Law
are that the party shall break Ave acres during tn
first year from date of entry; during the second year h
must cultivate to crop or otherwise said five acres Al,
break five acres, more andthe third year he must plan
the Hrst i've acres to trees, seeds or cuttings, and cult
vate thu second Ave acres to crop or otherwise. and tn
fourth year the second i've acres must be planted t
trees, seeds or cuttings.
After fulfilling the requirements Of the tinaber. cul
ture law - above stated. the claimant can make INA
proof at the end Of eight years and acquire title TO hi
stree claim" without payment Of tl.25 per acre. or an,
sum, 70 the government .. y the requirement. undo
the honesfsad and pre-empHon laws. Under the tin
bsreulturs act only ens tsss Chain oas - taken In
. section.