, 1889-04-11
made the run OF $3.50 miles In seven days
and few hours. one Of the fastest trips
across the ocran on record.
NEW LAND LAW.
AN ACT or GREAT IMPORTANCE
TO CERTAIN CLASsEs-
Homestead Rights Restored, Leaves OF
Absence Provided for aud Other
Important Provisions.

The recent congress passed the follow
| ing important act with reference to public
lands:
An act to Withdraw certain public lands
from private entry, and other PURPOSES.
| Be it enacted, ETC., Section l. That
from and after the passage OF this act no
public lands OF the United States. except
| those in the state of Missouri, shall be
subject to private entry.
See. 2. That any person who has not
heretofore perfected title to tract OF land
of which he has made entry under the
homestead law, may make homestead
entry of not exceeding one guarter-section
of public land subject to such entry, such
previous fling or entry to the contrary
lot withsta ndine but this right shal not
apply to persons who perfect title TO lands
under the presumption Or homestead laws
already initiated: Provided, that all set
tiers upon the public lands whose claims
have been initiated prior to the passage Of
this act may change such entries to home
stead entries and proceed to perfect their
titles to their respective claims under tho
homestead law. uotwithstand ndinR they may
have heretofore had the benefit OF such
law, but such settlers who perfect tile to
claims under the homestead law shall not
thereafter be entitled to enter other lands
under the presumption or homestead laws
of the United States.
Sec. 3. That whenever 1t shall be made
to appear to the register and receiver of
any public land Office, under such regula-
tions as the secretary of the interior may
prescribe, that any settler upon the pub
lie domain under existing law is unable
by reason Of total or partial destruction
or failure of crops, sickness or other un-
ayoidable casualty, to secure O support for
himself, helself, or those dependent upon
him or her upon the lands settled upon,
then such register and receiver may grant
to such settler leave of absence from the
claim upon which he or she has filed for
period not exceeding one year at any one
time, aud such settler so granted leave OF
absence shall forfeit no rights by reason Of
said absence: Provided, That the time Of
such actual absence shall not be deducted
from the actual residence required by
law.
Sec. 4. That the price of all sections
and parts of sections of the public lands
within the limits of the portions OF the
several grants of lands TO aid in the con-
struction of railroads which have been
heretofore and which may hereafter be
forfeited, which were by the act making
such grants or have since been increased
to the double minimum price and, also, of
all lands within the limits of any such
railroad grant, but not embraced In such
grant lying adjacent to and coterminou
with the portions of the line of any such
railroad which shall not be completed at
date of this act, is hereby fixed at $l.25
per acre.
SEC S. That any homestead settler
who has heretofore entered less than one
quarter section of hand may enter other
and additional land lying contiguous to
the original entry, which shall not, with
the land first entered and occupied, ex-
coed IN the aggregate 160 acres. without
proof of resi- dence upon and cultivation of
the original entry, when the additional
entry il made. then the patent shall issue
without further proof Provided, That this
section shall not apply to or for the bene-
ft Of any person Who at the date OF max
ing application for entry hereunder does
not own and occupy the lands covered by
his original entry: And provided, That
if the original entry shall fail for any rea
son prior TO patent or should appear TO be
illegal or fraudulent. the additional entry
shall not be permitted, or, if having al
ready been initiated, shalt be cancelled,
Sec. 6. That every person entitled. under
the provisions OF the homestead laws, to
enter u hom estead. who has heretofore
complied with or who shall hereafter COM
ply with the conditions of said laws, and
who sball have made his final proof there
under for a quantity Of land less than l60
acres anc receive the receiver 8 hnal receipt
therefor, shall be entitled under said laws
to enter as q personal right and not assign
able, by leca, subdivisions of the public
lands Of the United states subject to home.
stead entry, so much additional land as
added to the quantity previously so enter.
ed by him shall not exceed l60 acres:
Provided, That in no case shall patent
issue for the land covered by such addi-
tioual entry until the person making such
additional entry shaIl have actually and in
conformity with the homestead laws resid.
ed upon and cultivated the land so addi-
tionally entered and otherwise fully com.
piled with such laws: Provided also, That
this section shalt not be construed as
affecting any rights as to the location of
soldiers certificates heretofore issued
under section 2406 Of the Revised Statutes.
Sec z. That the 'act to provide addi-
tional regulations for homestead aud pre-
emption entries of public lands" ap-
proved March 3. 1879, shall not be con-
strued to forbid the taking OF testimony
for final proof within ten days following
the day advertised az upon which such
final proof shall be made, in cases where
accident or unavoidable delays have pre-
vented the applicant or witnesses from |
making such proof on the date specified.
Sec 8. That nothing in that act shall
be construed as suspending, repeating, or
in any way rendering imperative the pro-
visions of the act entitled IAN act TO pro-
vide for the disposal of abandoned and
useless military reservations. approved
July ), 1884.
approved March 4, 1899.