The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-11

of impressing most forcibly upon the
minds of the readers of this article, Is
the extreme cheapnesS Of the agr1cul-
tural lands of the state of Minnesota
compared with the prices OF lands of even
inferior productive capacity in the older
settled and more dersely populated states
to the south and east. The price of the
best class of agricultural lands in the
timbered districts of central and northern
Minnesota, is not over one-tenth to one
twentieth of that of other states, which
possess the higher values only by reason
of the fact that they were settled first,
and therefore have derived the advantage
in the rise of values which age gives to
any agricultural community.
The wealthy classes of the agricultural
parts of Iowa and Illinois, have been
made almost altogether by the slow
growth IN values of farm lands through
a series of years.
1t is not very creditable to the foresight
and enterprise of our own citizens that
the people of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin
should see the advantages of securing our
low-priced lands, when we cannot see
them for ourselves; and large as is the
movement of settlers from Iowa, 1t Is as
yet barely begun. It will extend and is
extending into the adjacent state of llh-
nois; Missouri will partake in the move
ment within year, and the same Will
$1,000
diana.
But what shall I do, inquiries one. to
take advantage of the land laws to secure
a free $50 acre homestead from the gov
eminent lands? The mode of procedure
is very simple 1t requires that the per-
son who intends to take a homestead
should first examine the lands by going
over them, and upon choosing tract
of 100 acres, which has not already been
taken, the party can proceed to the gov
eminent land office of the United States
land district in which the land is situat-
ed, procure the papers necessary for III
ing make affidavit that they have seen
the land and that they intend to use it
for their own benefit, and upon the pay
ment of from S14 to SIS in fees receive
a document emitting them to the posses
sion of the land. Within six months
thereafter, settlement must be establish
ed and home made upon the land. But
the government requirements are not
onerous simple home made of logs
or rough boards, the clearing of lit
tie land and planting some grain and
garden constitute in the eyes of the law
improvements necessary to show good
faith in the claimant.
CThe United States land offices in Min
nesota are at Duluth St. Cloud, Crooks
ton Fergus Falls, Marshall and Taylors
Falls.).
MEANING OF RESIDENCE.
Residence upon the land does not nee
essarily mean remaining upon 1t continu-
ously 1t is only required in the sense
that anyone would make residence any
where; that is, trips can be made to other
places or other states, and the law only
contemplates a cancellation of the claim
where it has been obviously abandoned
by the person who claims it. If the
claimant has a family. it is necessary
that the family should live with him on
the farm, unless he makes af1daVit that
his family refuses to live with him.
A married woman cannot take a home
stead. single woman over eighteen, or
a widow, may.
At the end of fourteen months resi-
dence, proof of residence and improve
ments can be made at the land Office, and
by the payment OF $3.50 per acre deed
may be obtained for the land, or by liv-
ing upon the land for five years, the gov
eminent gives a deed of the land free
except for the cost of the final papers,
which is about $50.
Therefore, securing a home from IN
Gle Sans land is an extremely simple
matter, only requiring good faith on the
part of the settler and a compliance with
it's very reasonable regulations, for any
citizen to obtain home of his own from
the public domain. And Minnesota pos
sesses at the present time as good lands
government. as the highest priced lands
In the most densely populated agricul-
turaI parts of the southern part of the
state The writer knows of one locality
in northern Minnesota where there are
fourteen townships of land of the very
best black loan, gently rolling, free from
stones, moderately timbered with hard
wood, we'll watered, as well fitted in ev-
cry respect for producing crops as any
of the settled parts of the state. And yet
there are probably not twenty inhabitants
in all these fourteen townships.
And then there are thousands of acres
of railroad land-lands with perfect IT,
ties, timbered prairie or mixed timber
and prairie, we'll watered. rich, capable
Of producing every crop of our temperate
lattudes, which can be purchased at al
most nominal prices compared to the
values which they will ultimately at
tain. They are only from 50 to 81 per
acre, and at most not over $40. The rail-
roads give from i've to ten years time