Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-07-09
Nearly Eight Hundred Homestead and
Desert Filings Have Been Made
In the Past Year.
THREE MILLION ACRES OPEN
Annual Report OF the Register and Re.
eeiver Afford Some Interesting
Figures on Settlement.

During the last fiscal year in the
local land office, July /, 190l-l902.
there were made 7S5 homestead and
desert land filings upon the public do
main of the Judith land district. This
figure, more than any other obtain
able from any source proves how rap
idly this portion of the Great Ameri-
can desert"-as the whole west was
once known-is being settled with
home builders.
During the previous year there were
$50 entries and for the year ending
In July, 1900. 5i5. the proportionate
increase being much larger during
the past year than during the M pre-.
ceding.
or the 1856 entries, 1913 were original
deserts and 412. original homesteads.
The increase over the previous year
is more marked in the desert land
claims. the number being So as against
an increase of 81 homestead filings.
Notwithstanding the great increase
in filings, which shows a big growth of
business, the receipts for the last year
| were smaller than those of the one
preceding. This is accounted for by
| the fact that the receipts are nearly
| all from commuted homesteads, land
sales and excuses and there were
| fewer of these than during the year
| before. So while the business of the
| office increased the revenue to the
government slightly diminished. Dur
ing the past year the total receipts
were 500, 664. 5S, while in the fiscal
year 190O-1901 there was received
~s7O.S54O7.
The actual transactions in the office
for the past year are as follows: Elk.
~cesses. SO; land sales. 10; committed
homesteads. 20; desert proofs, 166;
desert filings, 373; mineral entries,
IS; TT. Maginnis reservation sales,
8; homestead filings. 412: homestead
proofs. 14S; coal declaratory state.
ments. 90; mineral applications, 20;
state selections, /: soldiers declara'
tory statements, /; timber culture
proofs, 3; timber and stone sales, G.
The first three months of the fiscal
year. July 1 to September 1. 1901
shows the heaviest receipts, but the
greatest number Of homestead and
desert filings we're since April LIST
last, there being 1923 of each, a large
proportion Of which we're from new
settlers, arrivals from Iowa. Kansas
| Oklahoma and Missouri.
The number of filings made within
the past eighteen months insures 4
great amount of business for the Of
fee during the succeeding five years
and as patents to this land are secur
ed a heavy increase in the amount
of land subject to taxation.
According to the report of the reg
lister there is now surveyed and unap
propriated within the district a total
of 3.122,S91 acres, but the actual
amount is probably far in excess OF
that total. Receiver Eldridge stated
Saturday that the number of relin'
quishments and new filings for the
same land is rapidly increasing and
that when a REIMBURSEMENT Is filed
no record is kept of the number o.
ocres thereby restored to the public
domain; however, when this land is
again filed upon the number Of acres
is deducted from the area unappro
priated and it can readily be seen that