The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-22

ITO CORRESPONDENTS The Query Column
viii answer all questions that il is possible 10
obtain an answer 10 as quickly as the same can
be done after receipt OF letter OF inquiry. If an
answer is not published on he Sunday follow
log the sending Of liter it is because 1t has
been impossible 10 obtain the answer in time.
Ofteutlmes the party IN charge of this column
is obliged 10 write 10 distant points for the in
formation asked. Letters That do not bear the
name and address of the writer VIII not be an
swered. The name Is not desired for publlca-
ZION, but 10 enable the Query Editor to CORE
spOnd with the writer in ease a question, as
often occurs, is NOT clearly stated
GOVERNMENT LANDs-A. V. o. S., City.
Government land is obtainable by the head OF
family-male or female-or by a citizen of the
age Of 81. There aTe TWO classes OF land open
20 settlement or purchase, one sold by the Gov
eminent al 81 20 per acre as the minimum
price, and the other at 81 80 per acre. being
the alternate sections reserved by the United
States In railroad grants and so fOrtk BY
means of the homestead laws any citizen or in
Z tending citizen has the right to 160 acres Of
81 20 or 81 so land after actual settlement
and cultivation of the same for five years.
Surveyed lands in California, Oregon, Nevada
and Washington not yet proclaimed and Of
fered at public auction. valuable chiefly for
timber and stone, unfit for cultivation, and
consequently unfit for disposal under the pre-
emption and homestead laws, may be pur-
chased by individuals ana by associations
at the minimum price of 81 so per acre.
The sixteenth and thirtysixth sections in
every township in the publc-land States
and Territories are reserved for school
purposes. These are sold on long credit on
annual insta,lments at moderate rate of In
terest, thu purchaser having the privilege of
final settlement at any time. By the act of
August 80, 1890, no person can acquire under
all the land laws an aggregate acreage
of mere than 800 acres Of The public
lands. From the report Of the Commissioner
OF the General Land ONCE there were
vacant public lands In the following States and
Territories at the close of the fiscal year 1898:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Col
orado, Florida Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Lonisi-
ana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Mis-
Z souri,, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Dakota Oklahoma, Oregon,
'SOuth Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin
ana wyoming. The greatest number of acres
are In Montana, "a, 635, 925, and the smallest
number IN Iowa, Is acres. Tie aggregate of
surveyed and unsurveyed lands Is ST. ,013 595
acres. This IS exclusive Of Ohio, Indiana
aud Illinois, IN which, II any public land re-
mains, II consists Of "a few small Isolated tracts.
1t is exclusive OF Alaska, containing 369 $685.
600 acres. IL Is also exclusive of military aud
Indian reservations and land subject to sale for
the benefit OF certain Indian tribes and ex-
elusive Of reservoir slles and timber reserva-
lions and tracts covered by selections filings.
railroad grants and claims not yet adjudieated,
part of which may in the future be added TO
the public domain. Information as TO particu-
lar land in any particular place can be obtained
from The land office in the district where the
land asked about is located.
ENGAGEMENT RING-A. b., City. AS gift
OF love or sign of betrothal the ring was used
by the ancients. The ancient Jews made the
ring most important feature OF the betrothal
in the marriage ceremony. In the middle ages
the solemn betrothal by means of the ring often
preceded matrimeny, and was sometimes
adopted between lovers who were about to
separate for long periods. Chaucer In "Irollus
ana Cressede" describes The heroine as giving
Ger lover ring upon which love motto was
engraved, aud receiving one from him In re-
urn. Shakespeare has more than one allusion