The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-06-15
LANDS OF THE STATE.
Rules Governing Their Purchase or
Lease by the People by the State
Land Commissioners.
Bona Eide Settlers Having Improve.
ments viii Have Preference Right
to Buy or Lease.

The state board Of land commissioners
have prepared a circular letter OF infor-
nation concerning the purchase or leas-
ing Of lands under their control. tt says:
1.-The state board OF land commissioners
are prepared to sell or lease state lands
In the counties Of Mise0ula, Ravalli,
Cascade, Lewis and Clarke, and Gala
tin. No state lands In the other count.
les have yet been appraised, and owing
to the failure Of the third legislative &c.
sembly to enact q law allowing the tate
land agent to appraise land % he or
amined it, no more a~ppraising can be
done for some time. The expense OF the
present method is 90 great that the
board do not feel authorized to have
further work done in this direction, GO.
pecially 10 view Of the fact that large
areas OF state lands are still open for sale
and lease in the counties above men.
toned.
"The board hold from time TO time
public sales at the county seat Of the
county In which the land ~ situated, sf-
tor advertising for four weeks In some
paper published at the county seat. At
these sales at least 30 per cent Of the
purchase money must be paid, the re.
mainder to be paid in seven annual in.
stallments. with interest at 7 per cent on
the amount remaining unpaid. To
guarantee the payment Of this residue. n
bond is required by law, to be executed
within twenty-four hours from the time
Of purchase, said bond to be signed by
two bOndsmen, residents of the county
in which the land is situated. The bal.
ance may be paid at any time thereafter,
il the purchaser 90 desires, when q
patent will be issued. The whole amount
may be paid at the time Of sale il de-
sired. No land can be sold forN less than
it's appraised value, and in no case for
less than $40 per acre.
Land not cold is leased for a term Of
five years, without agreement for re-
newal, on a base of at least 8 Der cent of
the appraised value as annual rental, in
advance, first years rent to invariably
accompany the application. The board
reserves the right to increase the price,
il in their judgement lands were an.
praised too low. A bond is required, as
in the case Of sale. II you wish to lease,
send to the board for a blank application,
upon receipt OF which you are requested
to NIL out all the blank spaces. taking
care to have the application sworn to be.
fore a notary public and enclose the first
years rent, at the rate Of 5 per cent OF
the appraised value. II the application
is favorably acted upon by the board,
duplicate leases will be sent to YOU, to.
gether with bond; return these properly
signed, when they will be signed by the
proper officials, and the original lease
and the receipt for the first years rent
will he sent to you.
Estate lands are divided into four
classes: Agricultural. grazing, timber
and land within the three miles limits OF
a town. Not more than 16O acres Ut Az
ricultural will be leased to one person or
corporation; not less than one section Of
grazing land will be leased; timber land
is not leased, but is sold for cash. Land
within the three mile limit cannot be
sold, but may be leased; when plated
for a townsite addition, as in the case Of
the Missoula School addition, lots may
be sold or leased; IL leased, at least SO
per cent OF the purchase money is re.
quired in advance. When leased, seven
per cent OF the. appraised value is charg-
cd, and the term OF the lease ia two
years instead of five.
Bona fide settlers having improve.
ments on state lands prior to the passage
of the act Of March, 1891, will have pre-
ference right to buy or lease; this simply
meane, however. that the settler will not
be obliged to outbid other persons; q bid
equaling that OF the highest bidder will
secure the land to the owner OF improve
ments. 1t is the constant aim OF the
board to encourage and protect the
rights Of genuine settlers, and at the
same time to guard against the un.
founded claims Of those who settle on
state lands for illegal purposes. The
board issues no permits to persons wish
ing to make improvements on unap-
praised or partly surveyed state lands,
nor does it withhold such permission,
except in cases where known injury to
the state would result. Such improve.
ments are in all cases made at owners
risk"