Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-06-18
DEPARTMENT OF THE IN.
TERROR.
General Land Office.
Abandoned Military Reservation, Ac
May 10, 1900.

INSTRUCTIONS.
Registers and Receivers. Miles City,
Montana, and Minot. North Dakota.
Gentlemen:
Your attention is called to the pro.
visions of the Act Of Congress of May
10, 1900. entitled can Act providing for
the disposal Of the Fort Buford aban.
doned military reservation in the States
of North Dakota and Montana, az
fol lows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the United
States OF America in Congress assem-
bled. that all public lands now remain.
ing undispoaed of within the abandoned
military reservation in the states Of
North Dakota and Montana, formerly
known rs Fort Bufor. Reservatio ion, and
which are not otherwise occupied or
used for any public purpose, are hereby
homestead, townsite. and desert land
laws: Provided, That actual occupants
thereon upon the fret day of January,
nineteen hundred, if otherwise quail
fed, shall have the preference right to
make one entry not exceeding one
quarter section: Provided Further,
That any of such lands III are occupied
for town.site purposes. and any of the
lands that may be shown to he valuable
for coal or mine rails, such lands 81 occu-
pied for TOWNSHIP purposes or valuable
for coal Or minerals shall be disposed of
"s now provided for lands subject to
entry aud sale under the TOWNSHIP.
coal or mineral land laws, respectively :
Provided Further, That this act shall
not apply to any subdivision of land,
which subdivision may include adjoin-
ing lands 10 the amount Of one hum
dred and sixv acres. on which any
bnllding or improvements Of the United
States are situated. hut such lands shall
be appraised and sold as now provided
by law.
The act in question opens all OF the
lands undisposed OF within said aban.
doned military reservation, to disposal
under the homestead, tOwn.site and
desert land laws; snch legal subdivia-
ions, to the extent Of 100 acres in each
case, on which any bindings or i'm.
provements. of the United States are
situated, being excepted.
1t gives preference right of entry
for one quarter section Of land to those
who, on the first day Of January, 1900,
we're actual occnpanta thereon and are
otherwise duly qualified to make entry
under the homestead law.
1t also provides that lands that are
occupied for town site purposes or that
are valuable for coal or mineral, shall he
disposed OF ~ now provided for such
lands under the town site, coal or min.
eral laws, respectively.
After the plats are filed, applications
may he allowed when accompanied
with affidavits thar there were no occr-
pants on the lands January l. 1900.
After thu expiration Of three months
from the date Of fling If the township
plats the preference right Of entry given
in the first proviso of the act, il not
then "sse rte'i will, in the face Of 4 valid
adverse claim, b. deemed to nave ex.
pred ami the affidavit above mentioned
will not W. required.
The rules and regulations in regard to
town site entries will he fount IN the
circular Of July g.. 1885 Is l.. D., 1861,
and You will be governed thereby,
except that you will require to he filed
"i'h snc4' town cite application. an
affidavit that there are no adverse Set
tiers upon the land whose actual occu-
pancv dates back to January l. 1900.
IN relation to desert land claims You
will PROCEED III Accordance with the
instrnc'i"na contained IN Office circular
Of July II, 1899. pages 80 to ~, inclusive
and ala" require atfidavits in each case,
as in homestead applications, indicated
above.
All lanha valuable for coal or mineral
shall he reserved from disposal, except
under thu coal or mineral land laws,
respectively. aud applications for sncl,
lands will l'e governed by the rnIes aud
regnla,i"ns now IN force in snch cases.
Under date Of Dec. l. 1897, all OF :he
buildings and improvements on this
r-s-rvat,o" wee offered NJ pul,lic sale
under the x.:' OF Jnly 5, 1884 (23 Stat,
1857 and 'he purchasers required to
remOve the eHm- within ninety days
from date ~ purchase.
On F-hru, ~ p. 1899. the local officers
at Minot, North Dakota, reported that
all the buildings aud improvements on
the reservation had been sold aud the
presump,irn is, tia, they have all been
removed. therefore, the last prnviso Of
said act is relation TO lands upon
(which buildings or Improvements of
the United States are STRATEGY, is
imperative. V..rv respectfully;
Bi"grr H"rn,anu, Com'r.
Approved, July 81. 1900.