Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-03-13
The Land Lava.

There are several millions q acres Of public land
yet remaining In this district, subject to entry. Much
OF this land ~ the 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 q claim should
either make personal inspection of the land he intends
has made personal inspection Of the land. After an
entry has once zen made, even If 1t is found to be
worthless, 1t Is very difficult and In most instances In.
possle'e % OBTAIN the privilege Of making another
Tie public lands In thi, Territory sre sutjec, to
en sy under the homestead, presumption and timber
tered under each law. A party can make a homestead
and timber culture entry, or a presumption AMI ti.absr
culture san : entry Is st the Same time but he cannot take a
A party who Is twenty one years Of sge, or who is at
tue head of a family can make an entry If pup!ic land.
A woman who Is the head of a family, o, q single
entry of public land.
on!y THOSE = rsons who are native horn citizen. OF
the United States, or who have declared their intention
to become citizens can avail thems lives Of the privilege
Of the lana laws. No person Of foreign birth can oh.
tain any risht to land by actual settlement before he
has declared his intention to become a citizen: hence
"a. nrst 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 IF the court and declare Ills in
tention to become a citizen. hoparty who Is the owner
OF $40 acres Of land In any State or Territory can take
. presumption claim; neither can any person who leaves
land of his own In this Territory to 20 upon the public
land obtain any presumption right by settlement,
ownershipto land is no bar to making a homestead
entry; To make a legal pre.emption claim, a party
should first make actual settlement upon the land, and
then within ninety days from such settlement. he
should NE MS deciaiatory statement in The local land
once. A ming made without prior settlement l. null,
and void and ccnfers no right upon the settler, and even
nhe 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 there
ts no adverse claim. Hence, no party should file q de-
claratory statement for land until after he has made an
actual settlement upon tn" same. The law allows
ninety naVO from act sn ,rl,f.t. a -.
party's right dates from tho time of settlement and mt
from the time of filing.
A party can obtain alegal right to ono hundred and
Wy Of said tract oy making settlement upon the same
In making settlement upon unsurveyed land the sot-
uer should first designate the tract claimed by him by
well defined land marks. If this is done the right of a
subsequent settler upon the same tract will be subject
to the right Of til first settler. The right of u settler
dates from the date of his settlement upon the land,
and he Is allowed ninety days after the township pla,
IL filed in the local land Office in which to He bis pre-.
emption declaratory tatement After an nctual resi-
depce OF SIX months upon land a sottler can make pay.
payment for the land at any time within q period Of
thirty three months from the date Of settlement after
showing o continuous residence upon the land for six
payment cannot be made for land until after 1t Ia sur.
7eyed and comes into market. A party Possessing the
same legal qualification as a presumption claimant can
take one hundred and sixty acres under the homestead
law. Under the presumption law II party acquires his
right BY actual settlement: under the homestead lava
party con gain an actual right by making an entry at
the local land office. and then he Is allowed six months
from that date in which to make his actual settlement
and establish his residence. A settler can make pay.
ment for his land at 81 rs per acre after six months cnn-
tinuous residence aud Improvement ofthe land or if he
continues his residence for five years he can obtain title
to the claim without payment. Payment at 81. Is per
acre Gun be made for land at any time during five years
trom date Of entry, after six mon:hs residence next pre-.
ceeding tho payment. If 1t 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 undor
the timber culture act. The requirements Of this law
are that 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
break five acres, more andthe third year he must plant
the first i've acres to trees, seeds or cuttings, and Guilt.
vate ths second five acres to crop or otherwise. and the
fourth year the second five acrcs must be planted TO
trees, seeds or cuttings.
After fulfilling tho requirements Of the timber. cul.
ture law as above stated, tho claimant can make final
proof at the end Of eight years and acquire title to his
tree claim" without payment Of 81. rs per acre. OF any
sum, to tho government. AZ Is tho requirement under
the homestead and presumption laws. Under the tim.
ber-culture act only ono tree claim can be taken in a
section