The National tribune., 1895-10-10
LAND GRANTS.
Information of Interest to Soldiers Filing for
Additional Homesteads-

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
issue of Sept. IL you say: j. ID. C., Supe-
rior, and others who inquire concerning
public lands. should carefully peruse the
following which is kindly furnished by the
Receiver of the u. S. Land Office, Dodge
City, Kan" The article referred to reads
as follows: Every soldier who has proved
up soldiers homestead of less than loo
acres IS entitled to an additional homestead
OF acreage sufficient with that previously
proved up, to equal 100 acres. Residence on
the additional homestead is not necessary.
The only expense is the Government fees of
80 or $40, approximately"
beg to say that the statement made by
the Honorable Receiver aforesaid is errone-
GUS and misleading. Section 23O6, Revised
Statutes, Appendix No. 1, page 124 reads as
follows: "An officer, soldier, seaman, or mar
iner who served for not less than 80 days
in the army or navy of the United States
during the rebellion, who had, prior to June
%. 1874, the date of approval OF the Revised
Statutes, made homestead entry of less
than 160 acres, may enter an additional
quantity of land adjacent to his former entry
or elsewhere sufficient to make, with the
previous entry, 160 acres."-(See page %,
circular from the General Land Offiee.)
that oaly those soldiers, seamen, or mariners
"who prior to June %, 1874" filed their
original homestead applications on less
than $50 acres may enter an additional
quantity of land sufficient to make, with
the previous entry, 100 acres"
The Honorable Receiver places no restric-
tion upon the time when the first entry was
filed. The U. S. statutes expressly says that
it must have been filed "prior to June %,
1874"
If an ex-soldier entered homestead
and made final proof without reference
to his army service, no matter whether
he filed before or after enlistment, provided
he filed prior to June %, 1874 he is entitled
under provisions of section 2306. The law
does not require that he must have proved
up a soldiers homestead"
If"J. ID. c." or any other qualified soldier
Tor his widow, desires 10 avail himself of
the benefits of the law quoted, he must pro-
ceed as follows:
Present themselves in person at the Dodge
City Land Office (or wherever else they wish
to locate, and make their entry in person.
The expense of the trip to the land Office
should be added to the Government fees.
Those who filed and made proof on less
than $50 acres subsequent TO June %, 1874,
and prior to March 2, 1889, may now file
upon and acquire title to enough land to
equal $50 acres, but they will be required to
live upon and cultivate it five years, less their
term of service in the army. Filings made
since March 2, 1885, exhausts the homestead
right, even though but 40 acres were filed
upon. In addition to the "600,00 acres of
land open to settlement in the
Dodge City land district" there are over
100000. 900 acres open to settlement in the
various public land States and Territories.
Having had wide experience in locating
scores of comrades under provisions of Sec
tion 2306 l speak from experience, as well
as knowledge of the law. Z. MOSES,
Box 967, Denver, Colo.