, 1889-04-13

How to Get n Home Out of It-NIethods
of Obtaining n Title Under the Various
Land Aots-It Is Comparatively Easy to
Get $50 Acres
There are thousands of acres of vacant
land which can be had ut almost n nomi-
nal price. In most instances it requires
only settlement, residence and c~ultiva-
ton for n few years to obtain full and
complete title TO the land. The situation
is much different from what it is in the
east, where n young farmer must run in
b to buy a few acres of land and be
kept in debt for years. One crop OF ten
acres will pay the cost for building and
tools
There are several ways of obtaining
title to agricultural lands. First is
under the presumption laws. The first
requisite is to mako settlement upon the
land. Settlement consists of any acts
which show the intention of the settler
to claim the land as a presumption. 1t
may be, for instance, the building of n
cellar, or starting the foundation of a
house, or building of n fence.
Having this settlement upon the land,
within three months tho settler must file
n declnratory statement in the United
States office and pay n fee of 50. With
in two years and nine months he must
get upon tho land and reside thereon for
six months. by n decision OF the land
office, it is not necessary for n party to
live upon the land until six months be-
fore he makes final proof, but he must
live there at least six months and make
final proof before thirty-three months
from the date of settlement. He must
nave cultivated n portion OF the land.
In six months after establishing residence
upon the land he al prove up. He must
make application to make final proof at
the land office, and advertise in some pa
per published near the land, also name
four witnesses who nro neighbors and
who are not related to him. He and two
witnesses must appear before the proper
officers IN the day of making final proof
and make proof of his residence, Guilt
walton of the land and pay s1.25 per acre
in addition to the fees for advertising,
attorneys fees, etc.
HOMESTEAD.
Another method of obtaining title to
land is under the homestead act. BY
IN ilAtAlltA ut AAihA lRHblHlAt II Allt XIII
as under the pre-emption laws. A soldier
can file n soldiers homestead claim upon
the land which he intends for n home
stead six months previous to making n
settlement upon furnishing his discharge,
or other proof of his service; but any
party can have six months time TO make
settlement by going before the register
and receiver of the and office; so this
right of the soldier amounts to but very
little. Within three months after settle
ment. homestead entry must be made and
n fee of SIG be paid the land office. The
party, should he not go before the regis
ter and receiver, must be residing upon
the land Mt the time of making affidavit
before n clerk of court. He can IL he
chooses after residing upon the land six
months, and ~cultivatlng 1t, prove up as
in the presumption and pay for the land.
Such an act is called committing n home
stead. Should he not desire to pay for
it, however, he can live upon it five
years and then make final proof. He
need not prove up If no chooses for seven
years. Upon making final proof he has
only to pay the fees for advertising,
clerk, and n small fee to the register and
receiver, when he obtains the title for
his land. If he was n soldier in the war
his term of service MS such can he de
Quoted from the five years residence,
but he must reside upon the land at least
n year. These are all the rights the
soldier has over any other citizen in re-
spect TO the homestead law.
A person who wishes to take up land
under both presumption and homestead
act should pre-empt first.
Thereis still another method of obtain
ing title to land, and that is under the
timber act. by this method the party
must make n timber culture entry, and
show that the land is non-mineral. He
must himself be personally acquainted
with the land in order to make this aft
davit. At my time within one year after
making entry of the land, and paying u
fec of S14 to the land office, he must
pillow for the 100 acres taken, five acres of
land. In the second year he must SOW
the first five acres to a crop and break
another five acres. In the third year he
must put in tree seeds or set out trees in
the first five acres, and put a crop In the
second five acres. In the fourth year he
must put tree seeds or cuttings in the
second five acres.
The trees must be cultivated and kept
alive, and at the end of eight years he
al prove uPand obtain title to 100 acres
by paying small fees. This act is a first
class law, and many citizens are availing
themselves of it and In good faith. 1t
hardly deserves the condemnation the
late demented Sparks placed upon it
Unmarried women as well us men can
avail themselves of tho privileges of
these acts.
1t will be seen that at comparatively
small expense n title can be had to $50
acres of fine farming land.-Great Falls
(Mon.) Leader.