Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-12-17
Mnrtin.s New Land Bin.

Congressman Martin has introduced q
bill in Congress that will tend to more
Rapidly and speedy settlement of the
lands between the Black Hills and the
Missouri river, and other non-irrigat'
able lands in the wester part of the
state. Following is copy of the bill:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives ofth United States
of America in Congress assembled,
That from and after sixty days after
the approval of this Act entries made
under the homestead laws in the State
of South Dakota, west of the Missouri
River and not within forest reserves or
other reservations, may equal but shall
not exceed in area six hundred and
forty acres, and shall be as nearly COM
pact in form as possible, and in no event
over two miles in extreme length
Provided, That there shall be excluded
from the provisions of this Act such
lands within the territory herein des-
cribed as in the opinion of the Secretary
of the Interior il may be reasonably
practicable to irrigate under the nation
al irrigation law or by private enter
prise, and that said Secretary shall,
prior to the date above mentioned, des-
ignate and exclude from entry under
this Act the lands which in his opinion
it may be practicable to irrigate as afore-
said, and shall thereafter from time to
tune open to entry under this Act any Of
the lands so excluded which upon fur
ther Investigation be may conclude can
be practically irrigated in the manner
aforesaid: And provided, That the
lands in Gregory County, South Dakota,
opened to settlement under and by
virtue of the Act of Congress approved
April twenty-third, nineteen hundred
and four, shall not be subject to the pro-
visions of this Act.
SEC. 2. That former homestead en-
try shall not be bar to the entry under
the provisions of this Act of tract
which together with the former entry
shall not exceed six hundred and forty
acres.
SEC. 3. That the entrymen under the
homestead laws of the United States,
within the territory above described
who own and occupy the land hereto
fore entered by them, may, under the
provisions of this Act and subject to its
conditions, enter other lands contiguous
to their homestead entry which shall
not, with the land already entered, own
ed, and occupied, exceed in the aggre-
gate six hundred and forty acres and
residence upon the original homestead
shall be accepted as equivalent to resi-
dence upon the additional land so en-
tered, but final entry shall not be allow
ed of such additional land until five
years after first entering the same. Any
former homestead entryman who shall
be entitled to an additional entry under
this section shall have, for ninety days
after the passage of this Act, the prefer
ential right to make additional entry ;, as
herein provided.
SIC T. That the fees and commits.
sions on all entries under this Act shall
be uniformly the same as those charged
under the present l&w for "a maximum
entry at the minimum price. That the
Communication provisions of the home
stead law shall not apply to entries un.
der this Act, and at the time Of making
! 6nal proof the entryman must prove
affirmatiyely that he has placed upon
the land entered permanent improve
dollar and twenty. five cents per acre for
each acre included in his entry Provid.
| ed, That when homesteader under the
provisions of this Act shall have served
as a private soldier or officer in the
Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the
United States during the war of the re-
bsllioD, and shall haye been honorably
discharged, the time when such home
stesd settler has 80 served shall be de
dCcted from the time hereinbefore re
quired to perfect title, or if discharged
on account of wounds received or dis
ability incurred in the line of duty, then
the term of enlistment shall be deducted
from the time herein required to per
feet title without reference to the length
of time he may haye served but nc
patent shall issue to any homestead
settler who has not resided upon, i'm
proved, and cultivated his homestead
for a period of at least one year aftel
he shall have commenced his improve
ments.
On Friday 81 last week Senate,
Gamble introduced bill in the senat,
similar to Congressman Martins anC
all of South Dakota's Representatives
will work together for the passage of the
bill.
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| Elect officers.
A number of lodges held their ANNA