The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-07-26
HOW 70 SECURE SURVEYS.
The Surveyor General Writes ~ to
Manner Of Procedure,

Manner Of Procedure.
Surveyor General E. w. Beattie
writes the following to this paper,
outlining how settlers should proceed
In order to secure survey Of public
lands:
1t would appear that settlers upon
the unsurveyed public lands are not
universally aware that they can &C.
cure the survey Of the land claimed
by them II a requisite number of petit.
lions are filed in this Office for the
survey Of the township in which their
claim lies.
1t is to the end that bona fde set
tiers may be advised as to the proper
procedure in order to secure public
surveys that l address this letter to
you, with the request that you bring
this matter to the attention Of the
public, through the medium Of your
paper.
Certain rules and regulations with
respect to petitioning for surveys 4
have been established by the honor I
able commissioner Of the general land
office, of which the following is a brief
outline:
All petitions must be addressed to
this Office, and must be for the town.
ship in which the claim Of the petit
toner lies. The name Of the petit
toner must be given, also his post.
Office address. The date Of settlement
and the length of residence must be
stated, and the land desired to be
surveyed must be described as to it's
class and character. The improve
ments erected and made must be stat
ed in detail, and their value must be
given. The statements Of the petit
toner must be sworn to before an
officer qualified by law to administer
oaths. The affidavit cannot, as some
have enormously supposed, be made
before postmasters. Affidavits are
usually made before a notary or a
justice of the peace. 1t has been
found expedient to prepare blank Pc
titions which will be forwarded to
any applicant therefore, upon request
Settlers are requested to use these
blanks only, or an exact copy thereof.
and thus insure that their petitions as
made out, are in proper form.
In order to secure the authorization
Of the commissioner Of the general :.
land Office to survey a township, a
strict compliance must be had with the
following instructions:
"When the unsurveyed area in a
township ranges from n
twelve sections, the application and
affidavit of n settler on the lands
will secure the authorization Of the
When from twelve to twenty
four sections remain unsurveyed the
survey will be authorized IN receipt
Of the applications and a%ffidavits Of
two settlers II the desired survey in
more than twenty-four sections
or is for a full township Of thirty-six
sections, the applications and afidavits
Of not less than three settlers will be
minimum required"
Settlers should not only petition for
the survey of the township in which
they live, but should interest them
selves to the extent Of seeing that
settlers in other townships adjacent to
the township in which they live also
petition, because a contract for the
survey Of several townships contig-
lous to each other can always be more
let than can a contract aprhA
viding for the survey Of an Isolated
OF for the survey Of several
townships.
The filing Of petitions for the sur
vey Of a group of townships Is In the
interest of the government and Of the
to the former in securing sur
veys at the minimum Of cost, and to
the latter in securing them as soon
rs possible.
There should be no hesitancy on
the part Of the settlers in addressing
his office on all matters pertaining to
he survey of public lands, and such
correspondence Is solicited.
A number Of maps have been pre-
of portions of Montana, as an
lid to settlers in designating in their
petitions the township in which their
claim lies The proper one of these
maps will be sent upon application to
who d~esignates his approx
nate location,
Very respectfully,
E. w. BEATTIE,
u. s. Surveyor General for Montana.