Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-06-02
100000 ACRES FREE.
Uncle sam's Last eift,

IA Nebraska cattle ranch one mile
square, absolutely free, is the offer the
Government is preparing to make every
man or head of family in the United
States. And as there are nearly 100000
of acres from which selection may be made,
anyone desiring to become possessor Of GAO
acres of tine grazing lands win have no
trouble finding tract suitable TO his taste.
The lands in question have just been
opened by the Kinkaid bill, which passed
Congress and was signed on the last day Of
the session just passed. The law becomes
operative June 2G, 1904. On and after
that date these 5000, 900, to be exact,
8,e44, 757 acres, many millions of which
comprise the finest grazing lands in the
world, will be open to the public for entry
as homesteads. As an example of the
quality Of some Of this land, there are in
Rock county 22o, ,302 acres of public lands,
and yet one railroad station in that county
ships more hay to market than any other
railroad point in the whole world.
The lands affected by the Kincaid bill
have been open for homestead entry in lots
of 100 acres each for many years, but not
being suitable for agricultural purposes,
and 120 acres not being large enough on
which to raise cattle, the lands have never
been taken up. A square mile of this
land, however, viii furnish pasturage and
feed for 100 head Of cattle throughout the
entire year.
DEATH KNELL TO CATTLE KINGS.
Immense tracts Of this land have been
fenced in by the cattle barons OF Nebraska,
and it was to have these illegally lly-construct-
ed fences removed that the Government
last year sent Colonel Mozby, the exon
federate cavalry leader and raider, into the
State to enforce the law regarding these
fences. 1t is said that the Richards ranch,
ssii4sllr ssesstltsasrsers q. Ellsworth, Nebraska,
had under such fencing nearly 1000, 600
acres of Government land. There were
dozens of other great ranches which also
included hundreds Of thousands of Govern
ment land within their fences.
But the Kinkaid bill sounds the death
knell of the cattle kings, whose herds Of
thousands roamed the open range, more
effectually than any fence removal notice
which the President might promulgate.
With settlers from all parts Of the United
States focking in and taking up home
steads of $40 acres each, the public domain
in this State is a thing Of only a few months
more. Then, without necessary lands
upon which to gaze their herds, the cattle
barons must go out Of business.
This is the last large distribution Of good
land which the Government will ever make.
It mas long been recognized that the great
plains of Nebraska constituted the best body
Of public lands extant, and with its passage
into private hands passes the last chance of
the poor man to secure free homes in any
thing like large numbers.
LAND FOR POOR MAN ONLY.
And it is only the really poor man who
can homestead this land. ANY man own
ing more than 160 acres Of any kind Of
land, anywhere, is barred from particle
pating in the Nebraska land distribution.
Single women who wish to take home
stead must be Of age. Widows are eligible
as the head of a family The law requires
each person to make oath that he has per-
sonally examined the land applied for.
There is one man in Omaha who has
three unmarried daughters and two sons,
all past 81 years Of age He is arranging
to take his family to the public lands and
have each member so entitled, of which
there will be six, to homestead $40 acres.
The family viii thus own 1910 acres Of
land in a compact body This makes a
frst-class cattle ranch and will cost him
absolutely nothing for the Government
charges nothing whatever for the land, pro-
Yided the homesteader lives upon it for five
years Should he wish to pay out and re-
ceive deed earlier, the applicant may, at
the end Of IA months, pay $1.25 per acre
and receive his deed. But when one in
tends to reside upon the lands, there is no
reason to pay this amount out simply stay
on the land five years and receive a deed
from the Government.
Here, then. are 1880 cattle and horse
ranches which Uncle Sam will give away
for the asking. Apply to the nearest land
Office after June 26, 1904, pay S14 fling
fees and, with small bunch Of cattle, lay
the foundation Of fortune which the poor
man in other sections can never equal.
Union soldiers, or their widows; receive
credit for enlisted time in making final
proofs.
Druggist A. S hshall and wife are
attending the st. pis exposition, He
writes home that NluIl who can 20 there