Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1893-04-14
Tree Claim Law.

| Mucn mas Decn Sald ABOUT the TIM
Der culture bills that have been intro
duced by Pickler and Pettigrcw. and
that there may be a clear understand
ing of the law and ITS provisions. we
give the law and Pickler'S amendment.
The following are the provisions Of
March 3. 1891:
=="Bc ii enacted by the senate and
house of representatives OF the United
States of America in congress assem-
| bled. that an act entitled. "An act to
amend an act entitled an act to en-
courage the growth of timber on the
western prairics, 'apprOved July IA.
1878, and all laws supplementary
thereto or amcndatory thereof, be.
and the same are hereby repealed:
Provided, that this repeal shall not
affect any valid rights heretofore ac-
cruing under said laws, but all bona
| fde claims lawfully initiated before
| the passage of this act may be per-
fected upon due compliance with the
law. in the same manner. upon the
same terms and conditions, and sub
| ject to the same limitations. forfeit
urcS. and contests as if this act had
| not been passed: And provided fur
ther: that the following words of the
last clause of section > of said act.
namely: That not less than twenty
| l., MI lt,I,I an
each acre" are hereby repealed: And
provided further. that in computing
| the periOd of cultivation the time shall
run from date of entry. If the neccs-
essary acts of cultivation were perform
ed within the proper time: And pro-
vided further. that the preparation OF
the land and the planting OF trees
shall be construed as acts Of cu!tiva-
ton: and the time authorized to be SO
employed and actually employed shall
be computed as a part of the eight
lyearS of cultivation required by stat
| ute: Provided. that any public lands
| of the United States under the timber
culture laws. and who has for period
of four wears in good faith complied
with the provisions Of said laws and
who is actually bOnatide resident OF
| the state or territory in which said
| land is located. shall be entitled to
final proof thereto. and acquire title
| to same by the payment of SID per
acre for such tract. under such rules
and regulations as shall be prescribed
by the secretary of the interior. and
registers and receivers shall be allowed
the same fees and compensation for
the final proofs in timber culture
entries as is now allowed by law in
| homestead entries: And provided
| further, that no land acquired under
the provisions of this act shall in any
event become liable for satisfaction
of any debt or debts contracted prior
to the issuing of the final certificate
thereof
To this is added Pickler's amend
ment passed on the sundry civil appro-
priation bill, which comes in after the
fourth DrOyisO above. That section
one of an act entitled an act t. r"p"ai
timber culture laws and for OtSlel par
poses approved" March :, 1891, b"
and is hereby amended by adding the
following words to the fourth proviso
thereof: And provided further, that
if trees. seeds or cuttings were in good
faith planted as provided by law. and
the same and the land upon which so
planted were hereafter in good faith
cultivated as provided by law, for at
least eight years by a person qualified
to make entry and who has subsist-
ing entry under the timber culture
laws, final proof may be made without
regard to the number Of trees that
may have been growing on the land.
It will be seen that it makes the
law broad, applies 10 residents and
non-residents alike all of whom make
proof regardless of the number OF
trees growing, and regardless of time
when eight years expires, and with no
cost except land Office fees.-Pierre
Capital.