Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-11-13
LAND REVIEW.
The New Additional Home stead Bill that
Die Not Become . Law.

| oSo k0Ve "
nopsis of a bill pending before Con-
gress containing important and benefi-
cent provisions, aud predic ed that i,
would pass both houses. Well, the
prediction proved correct, but the bill
failed to become law because it was
not reached by the President for sig
nature before the adjournment of
Congress. have no doubt that the
matter will receive early attention
when Congress re .convenes in Dscem-
Der; that the bill will be re.enacted,
and receive the signature of the Presi
dent. In order that the people may
be familiar with all OF its provisions,
print it entire in this letter to the ex-
c'usion of other matter, Ieeming it of
the utmost importance:
IAN act to allow persons who have
abandoned or relinquished the +
homestead entries to make another
entry, and for otner purposes.
"Be it enacted ETC., That any per.
son who has not heretofore perfected
title to a tract of la,.d which he has
made filing upon under the pre-emp.
ton law, or entry of under the home
stead law, may make a homestead en-
try OF not exceeding one quarter Sec
ton of public land subject TO such en-.
try such previous filing or entry to the
contrary Notwithstanding; but this
right shall not apply to persons VIII,
perfect title to lands under the pre-.
emption or homestead laws alre adv
initiated.
"SEC. 2. That whenever it shall be
made to appear to the register and re-
ceiver of any public land Office: under
such regulations as the Secretary OF
the Interior may prescribe, that any
settler upon the public domain under
existing law, is unable by reason of
drouth, whole or partial destruction OF
crops, sickness, or other unavoidable
casualty, to secure support for him
self, herself or those dependent upon
him or her upon the lands settled up
Oh, then such register AMI receiver
may grant to such settler a leave of
absence from the claim upon which he
or she has filed for a period not ex-
ceeding one year at any one time, and
such settler so granted leave of ab.
sence shall forfeit no right by reason
of such absence: Provided, That the
time Of such actual absence shall not
be deducted from the actual residence
required by law.
"SEC. ). That the price Of all sec.
tons and parts of sections Of the pub.
lie lands. within the limits of the por-
tons Of the several grants Of lands to
aid in the construction of railroads,
which have been heretofore and which
may hereafter be forfeited, which were
by the act making such grants or
have since been decreased to the
double minimum price and, also, OF
all lands within the limits of any such
railroad grant, and not embraced in
the grant lying adjacent to and CO,
terminous with the portions of the
line of any such railroad which shall
no. be completed ut the date of this
act, is hereby fixed at $1.25 per acre.
"SEc. 4. That from and after the
passage Of this act, any homestead
settler who has entered less than one
quarter section OF land may enter
other and additional land laying con-
tiguous to the original entry. which
shall not, with the land first entered
and occupied, exceed in the aggre
gate, one hundred and sixty acres
without proof Of residence upon and
cultivation of the additional entry;
and if final proof of settlement and
cultivation has been made for the
original entry, when the additional en-
try is made, then the patent shall issue
without further proof.
"SEc. 5. That every person en-
titled, under the provisions of the
homestead laws, to enter homestea d,
who has heretofore complied with, or
who shall comply with the conditions
of said laws, and who shall have made
his final proof Hereunder, for guam
tity of land less than one hundred and
sixty acres, and received the receivers
final receipt therefor shall be entitled
undrr said laws to enter, by legal
Subdivisions of the public lands of the
United States subject to homestead
entry so much additional land rs add.
cd TO the quantity previously so en-,
tered by him shall not exceed one
hundred and sixty acres: Provided,
That in no case shall patent issue un,
til the person making such additional
homestead entry shall have actually
and in conformity with the homestead
laws resided upon and cultivated til
land entered therein and otherwise
complied with such laws"
Should my opinion as herein cx
pressed be verified, many homeless