Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1891-03-19
GENERAL LAND LAW.
Full Text of the Law Passed by Con
gress Repeating the Pre-Emption
and Timber Culture Acts.
IMPORTANT CHANCES IN THE OTHER
LAND LAWS.

Be it enacted, ETC., That an act en-
titled "An act to amend an act entitled
An act to encourage the growth OF
timber on the Western prairies,' ap-
proved June 4, 1873, and all laws
supplementary thereto or ramendatory
thereof, be, and the same are hereby
repealed: Provided, That this repeal
shall not affect any valid rights here
tofore accrued or accruing under said
laws, but all bona fids claims lawfully
iniated before the passage OF this act
may be perfected upon due compliance
with law, In the same manner, upon
the same terms and conditions, and
subject to the same limitations, for
feitnres, and contests as if this act had
not been passed: And provided further,
That the following words OF the last
clause of section 2 of said act, namely,
THAT not less than twenty-seven
hundred trees were planted on each
acre." are hereby repealed, And pro-
vided further, That, in computing the
period of cultivation, the time shall
run from the date of the entry if the
necessary acts of cultivation were per-
formed within the proper time: And
ton of the land and the planting OF
trees shall be construed as acts of cul-
tivation, and the time authorized to
be so employed and actually employed
shall be computed as a part of the
eight years of cultivation required by
statute: Provided, That any person
who has made entry of any public
lands OF the United States under the
timber-culture laws, and who has for
IA period of four years in good faith
complied with the provisions of said
laws and who is an actual bona fide
resident of the State or Territory in
which said land is located, shall be
entitled to make final proof thereto,
and acquire title to the same, by the
payment of 81 .25 per acre for such
tract, under such rules and regulations
as shall be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Interior, and registers and re-
ceivers shall be allowed the same fees
and compensation for final proofs in
timber-culture entries as is now al
lowed by law in homestead entries:
And provided further, That no land ac-
quired under the provisions of this act
shall in any event become liable to the
satisfaction of any debt or debts con-
tracted prior to the issuing of the final
certificate therefor.
Sec. 2. That an act to provide for
the sale of desert lands in certain
states and territories, approved
March 8, 1877, is hereby amended by
adding thereto the following sections:
"Sec 4. That at the time of iling
the declaration hereinbefore required
the party shall also file a map of said
land, which shall exhibit plan OF
showing the mode of contemplated
irrigation, and which plan shall be
sufficienr TO thoroughly irrigate and
reclaim said land, and prepare it to
raise ordinary agricultural crops, and
shall also show the source of the water
to be used for irrigation and reclama-
ton. Persons entering or proposing
to enter separate sections, or frac-
tional parts of sections, of desert
lands may associate together in the
construction of canals and bitches for
irrigating and reclaiming all OF said
tracts, and may file Joint map or
maps showing their plan of internal
improvements.
"Sec. 5. That no land shall be pat
ented to any person under this act
unless he or his assisnors shall have
expended In the necessary irrigation,
| anu CditiN thSiSoii
by means of main canals and branch
bitches, and in permanent improve.
ments upon the land, and in the pur.
chase of water rights for the irrigation
of the same, at least So per acre oi
whole tract reclaimed and patented in
the manner following: Within one year
after making entry for such tract o
desert land as aforesaid, the party sc
entering shall expend not less than 81
per acre for the purpose aforesaid; and
he shall in like manner expend the
sum of 81 per acre during the second
and also during the third year there
after, until the sum of 50 per acre j.
so expended. Said party shall fill,
during each year with the register
proof, by the affidavits of two or mor'
crt dible witnesses, that the full sum O
81 per acre has been expended in sucl
necessary improvements during sucl
wear, and the manner in which ex
pended, and at the expiration of tn
third year a map or plan showing tn
character and extent of such improve
ments. Ii any party who has mad
such application shall fail during an.
year to file the testimony aforesaid
the lands shall revert to the Unite,
States and the 25 cents advanced pay
ment shall be forfeited to the Unite'
States, and the entry shall be Cancelled
Nothing herein contained shall preven
a claimant from making his final entr
and receiving his patent at an earle
date than hereinbefore prescribed
provided that he then makes the II
uuired proof of reclamation to tn
, aggregate extent of So per acre: Pro
vided, That proof be further require
of the cultivation of one-sighth of tn
land.
"Sec. 6. That this act shall nc
affect any valid rights heretofore a.
crued under said act of March 3, 1877
. but all bona fide claims heretofoi
lawfully iniated may be perfected
t. upon due compliance with the prt
visions of said act, in the same manne
upon the same terms and condition
and subject to the same limitation
forieitures, and contests as If this a.
had not been passed; or said claim
at the option of the claimant, may
perfected and patented under the pr
visions of said act, as amended /
this act, so far as applicable; and q
acts and parts OF acts in conflict wit
this act are hereby repealed.
Sec. z. That any time after filing Il
declaration, and within the period
n four years thereafter, upon makil
satisfactory proof to the register al
the receiver of the reclamation al
cultivation of said land to the exte
and cost and in the manner aforesai
and substantially in accordance Wi
,p the plans herein provided for. al
that he or she is a citizen of the Unit
States, and upon payment to the !
ceiver of the additional sum of 81 p
acre for said land, a patent shall iss
NJ therefor to the applicant or his
mo- signs: but no person or association
m persons shall hold by assignment