Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-07
VOLUME VIII.
Where Free Homes May Be Made
Areas of Unoccupied
Land.
Variety Of Soil and Climate Territory
Held in Reserve-State
Lands.

There remains open to free settlement in the
United States about 515, ,0o0 900 acres OF Govern
nlent land OF this area about thirty-eight per
cent because OF its mountainous or barren nat
ure, is, and will be permanently, unavailable for
the purposes of agriculture, stock-raising, al
though as timber preserve parts of 1t may
serve adjuncts Of no small value to contgu-
ous farming sections. or the remaining sixty
two per cent, fully one-half is not immediately
available for settlement. owing to the swampy
or arid nature of its soils. The swampy sec
toms arc SosnPerstiyely small and are rapidly
and ditching and tiling appliances are
brought into use, and 1t requires no super
naars anca tbey lUieS'" %iIi ba 'na the most
productive. and consequently the most valua-
BILE, districts in the Union. The arid area, so
far as its availability goes is an elastic quanti-
ty, the expansion OF which is contingent upon
many conditions. A generation ago the Great
American Desert" began just west OF tho Mis-
OF actual cultivation has pushed it farther and
farther to the southwest, and that 1t will soon
join the unnumbered myths is very probable.
To the poor home steader, however, this arid
region is a present and forbidding reality, and
its area, except where bordering upon streams
or bodies OF water, is practically closed to
him.
Stretching from the British possessions on
the north to the Gulf o. California at the south.
and reaching down the Rio Grande and ov,r to
the Pacific coast, lies a vast section where cul-
tivaton, because of insufficient rainfall is prac-
ticable only through irrigation. Through this
region the valleys, where nature furnishes the
means irrigation, are as a rule, taken up.
Beyond these valleys artificial conduits are be-
ing const ucted, but their extent is necessarily
limited, and their excavation costly. Outside
of the territory which they may supply the
problem OF cultivation depends upon the
pra ticability OF artesian wells, ques-
tion which must be solved independently
tour nah Ia Hf LAM and
possible, or rather probable, increase in
rainfall. There can be no question that rain
fall is. increased by tillaee, or that the
rain belt is moving slowly westward Irriga-
tion, moreover, barring the question Of first
cost, cannot be regarded as other than most de-
sirable because of the control over tho degree
and time of admission Of water which it gives
TO the farmer It will be remembered that
Egypt and Mesopotamia, the granaries OF the
ancient world, were dry countries where crops
were possible only through irrigation. The cost
Of the means Of water supply Is, however, an
obstacle to the majority Of pioneers.
The area available fer immediate settlement,
without obstacle, is about equally divided be-
tween prairie aud timbered land. Upon the
former homes may be made quicker and easier,
but the latter offers many compensating advan-
tages for the harder labor which IL demands.
Government lands are available for free
homesteads in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizons,
California, Colorado; Dakota. Florida, Idaho
sissippi. Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Mexico Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wis
cOnsln, ana wyoming. IeNns mas no tree lhnus,
When she won her independence, at the saber's
point, her domain became absolutely her own,
and when the compact OF union with the other
States was formed she retained her proprietor
ship. The lands of Alaska are not open to set
tlement, and no title to any of them, save such
leed 5flrP P1, 4ntGsJtHin III "a he ga.
There is a fiction that some vacant lands
remain untaken in Indiana and Illinois, but
it has no foundation. few undesirable
quart ter-sections may be found in remote parts
Of Iowa. Within the vast public domain are
every condition which men regard as conducive
to prosperous rural life. The opportunity for
choice is almost unlimited.
Free homes may be acquired from the gov
eminent domain in two ways-by homestead
and by timber culture entries. The first of
these ways is general in it's application, while
the second Is available only in the prairie
countries. The homestead law enables actual
settlers to secure title to not more than 16O
acres each, provided the homesteader be Il
years old, or the head of family and citizen
of the United States, or one who has legally
declared his intention to become q citizen.
The settlement must be actual and for the
purpose of cultivation. To complete title
the homesteader must within six months
after entry begin to live on the land and must
continue his residence there for five years with
out intermission. II the settler has served in
the army or navy of the United States, and been
honorably discharged, the period Of such SER
vice Is deducted from the five years of resi-
denoe, but the residence must last at least one
year. Soldiers discharged because OF wounds
are entitled to deduct the entire term Of their
enlistment. Stock raising and dairying are con-
nomestead entrIes, pay HLio when application Is
made, are: In Alabama, Arkansas. Dakota,
Florida. Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska land within
the limits Of n railroad grant, for 1D0 acres.
SIS; for 80 acres, 50 for forty acres, 81; land
outside the limits OF railroad grant for l60
acres, S14; for 30 acres, s, for 40 acres Sc. In
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah. Wa hing
ton, Wyoming and Wisconsin, land within the
limits Of railroad grant. for l60 acres S22; for
80 acres, $1l for 40 acres, So land outside the
limit OF a railroad grant for 100 acres sl6 for
proof in the first-named States are 81, and in
the last-named States So for l60 acres OF land
outside the railway limit, and double these for
land within such limit smaller tracts being
charged proportionally.
Ali Government lands in Arkansas and Mis-
souri,. all United States lands in Michigan,
Minnesota Wisconsin, and Kansas, except odd
numbered sections within the limits Of railroad
grants, made since January /, 1851, and all Gov
ernment land in all other States and Territories
which does not fall under the above exception,
and which is not reserved or designated as coal
or mineral land, are open to home stead entry.
| II is not necessary that Government surveys
should precede settlement, alth ugh they must
| be made before title Gun be perfected. Tte set
| tier on unsurveyed land acquires a preferred
| right" to enter it.
quired nnder the tiInber-culture law, the quail
hcations of the settler being the same as for a
| homestead The fees In this case are S14 at the
made. No distinction is made as regards lands
within or without the limits of railroad grants.
The requirements are eight days residence and
the cultivation of stated area of forest tree s
per year Lands acquired under either OF the
above laws are not subject TO the debts Of the
settler made prior to their acquisition. Under
| the desert-land law go acres can be acquired
| by payment OF Is cents per acre down. the con-
struction Of means OF irrigation, and the pay
| ment Of 81 per acre at the end of three years.
| The entries Of Government land were, In
round numbers, 18OO0,0O) acres in 1888 p, ,OO0,-
/ 900 acres in 1874 and 20,0o0O00 in 1885. At this
| rate the available aren, including reserves,
/ will be exhausted within the next two decades
l In addition to the Government lands various
States offer to settlers at nominal prices, rang
i ing from six cents to as many dollars per acre
i So 500, 900 acres of desirable lands.
i There is held in reserve by the Federal Gov.
i eminent all the vast territory Of Alaska. aud
about 81, $40. 900 acres Of Indian reservations
exclusive OF Indian Territory and Oklahoma
i The different Territories also hold $500
| OJ0 acres Of land for the benefit OF theil
l school funds when they shall become
| States These reserve areas will be further
| increased by some 5000, 900 acres which is now
L salt marshes, but which can be recovered from
| the seas Several million acres will also bs
| added TO the free domain tt rough forfeitures o.
| railway grants The lands OF Alaska are o.
| uncertain availability, but that possession will
| afford at least S0,0O0,0O0 acres susceptible o.
l modified cultivation. The Indian reservati oni
/ are choice farming sections and the areas re
| served to the Territories partake OF all the
| varying characteristics Of the region in which
they lie. Below will be found an outline de
scription Of all the lands now open to free set
tlement
| FREE LANDS OF THE NORTHWEST