Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-03-22
FOR HOME STEADERS.
Full Text o a Remarkably Generous
Land Law Of Moment to
Thousands.
Forfeited a. L p. Grant Lands Reduced to
the Minimum Price-Encour-
aging to Settlers.

The recent congress passed land law
which is remarkably generous to western
people generally. Under it homestead
ers who have abandoned their claims ty
reason of drought or poverty, or whose
entries have been Cancelled, may make
new entries on the public domain and
those whose entries are less than 100
acres are permitted to increase their
homesteads to this limit. Another and
a specially important feature OF the new
law for people in this locality, is the re-
duction OF the price Of forfeited A. {; 7.
grant lands from, $3.50 TO the minimum
figure Of $125 per sore, RS prayed for in
the memorial which Mr.. Catron 30 earu-
estly pressed through the legislative rs.
sembly. Appended is the law in full:
Section 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 en-
try.
Sec. 2.-That any person who has not
heretofore perfected title 20 tract OF
land OF which he has made entry under
the homestead law, may make a home
ste, d entry of not exceeding one quarter
section of public land subject to such en-
try, such previous fling or entry 10 the
contrary notwithstanding; but this right
| shall not apply to persons who perfect
title to lands under the pre-emption or
| homestead laws already initiated: Pro-
yided, That all presumption settlers
upon the public lands whose claims have
been initiated prior to the passages0f this
act may change such entries TO home
stead entries and proceed to perfect their
titles to their respective claims under the
homestead law, notwithstanding they
NAV have heretofore had the benefit OF
such law, but such settlers who perfect
title to such claims under the homestead
law shall not thereafter be entitled to en-
ter other lands under the presumption or
| homestead laws OF the United States.
Sec. 3.-That whenever it shall be made
TO appear to the register and receiver Of
any public land Office, under such regu-
lations as the secretary OF the interior may
prescribe, that any settler upon the public
domain under existing law is unable by
reason of q total Or partial destruction or
failure of crops, sickness, or other una
voidable casualty, to secure support for
himself, herself, 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 'front.' the
claim upon which he or she has filed for
period not exceeding one year at any
one time, and such settler 30 granted leave
of absence shall forfeit no rights by reason
Of such absence: Provided, That the
time of such actual absence shall not he
deducted from the actual residence re-
quired 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 cotermlnous
with the portions of the line Of any such
railroad which shall not be completed at
the date OF this act, is hereby fixed at
$l.25 per acre.
Sec. 5.-That any homestead settler who
has heretofore entered less than one
ouarter-section OF land may enter ether
and additional land lying contiguous to
the original entry, which shall not, with
the land first entered and occupied, OK
coed in the aggregate 160 acres, without
proof OF residence upon and cultivation OF
the additional entry; and il final proof Of
settlement and cultivation has been made
for the original entry, when the addition
al entry is made, then the patent shall
issue without further proof: Provided,
That this section shall not apply to Or
| for the benefit OF any person who at
the date OF making application for entry
hereunder does not own and occupy the
lands covered by his original enty: And
provided, That if the original entry shall
fail for any reason prior to patent or
should appear to be illegal or fraudulent,
the additional entry shall not be permit
ted, or, if having already been initiated
shall be Cancelled.
Sec. 6.-That every person entitled
under the provisions OF the homestead
laws, to enter a homestead, who has here
tofore complied with or who shall here
after comply with the conditions Of said
laws, and who shall have made his fina
proof hereunder for quantity Of lane
less than 100 acres and received the re-
ceivers final receipt therefor, shall be Oh
titled under said laws to enter as per
sonal right and not assgnable, by lega
subdivisions of the public lands Of TIT
United States subject to homestead entry
so much additionsl land as added to thu
quantity previously so entered by hin
shall not exceed l60 acres: Provided
That in no case shall patent issue for th'
land covered by such additional entry I'm
til the person making such additional Ell
try shall have actually and in conformit,
with the homestead laws resided upor
and cultivated the land 10 ADDITIONAL,
entered and otherwise fully compiled
with such laws: Provided also, Tha
this section shall not be construed a
affecting any rights as to the location o
soldiers certificates heretofore issued un
der section 1906 of the Revised Statutes
Sec. THAT the "act to provide add
tional regulations for homestead and pre-
emption entries OF public lands" ap
proved March 3, 1879, shall not be con
strued to forbid the taking of testimon.
for final proof within ten days following
the day advertised as upon which sucl
final proof shall be made, in cases wher
accident or unavoidable delays have pre-
vented the applicant or witnesses iron
making such proof on the date specified
| CO.. -Tb Of nothing in thia Qct Sh