The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-08-15
Nine Ways to Acquire Land.


The methods adopted by the govern
ment in order to dispose of the vacant
unappTopriated public domain other
than regular homesteading are as fol
lows:
First may be considered such land
as can be secured at cash sale or by
selection and scrip location, without
the requirement of settlement. ALL
public lands in the state of Missouri
are disposable under private cash en-
try, although they are also subject to
the homestead law.
Second. There may be considered
isolated tracts which have been sub.
]ect to- homestead entry for three
years after the surrounding lands have
been disposed of and which can be pur
chased upon affidavit showing that the
lands do not contain mineral, stone
or timber, and are agricultural in
character. Such purchase can be
made after published notice and
upon public offer of sale. In case of
competition the highest bidder secures
the land, not exceeding $50 acres be-
ing sold to any one bidder.
Third. Abandoned military reserva.
tion lands can be purchased for cash
upon public sale when offer is made,
at not less than the appraised value
nor less than $125 an acre. These
lands are also disposed of under the
settlement laws.
Fourth. Timber and stone lands can
be bought for $3.50 an acre in guam.
titles not exceeding 160 acres, which
must be in one compact body and unfit
for cultivation. An applicant is re-
quired to make affidavit that the land
is bought for his own benefit and not
for speculation and that he has made
no bargain to sell the same. 1t must
be non-mineral in character. At a
time named in the published notice the
testimony of the claimant, corrObor-
ated by two witnesses, must be taken
at the local land office.
Fifth. Saline lands are sold on
proof that they are saline, or salt
spring lands and upon public notice to
the highest bidder at a price not less
than $l.25 an acre. If they are not so
sold they can be obtained thereafter
at private cash entry for $1.25 an
acre. This law only applies to a few
states and is not operative in any of
the territories.
Sixth. Coal lands can be purchased
for $40 an acre when over fifteen miles
from completed railroad and 500 an
acre when at a less distance, not ex.
ceeding 100 acres being sold to a single
person, or 800 acres to an association
of persons. When, however, an asso-
citation OF four or more persons shall
expend $4,000 or more in working and
improving coal mine $40 acres oil
coal land can be entered. The first is
known as private or cash entry and
the latter as a preference right
Seventh. Soldiers additional home
stead entries are based upon the law
which allows soldier OF the United
States in the war Of the rebellion who
made entry of less than 100 acres OF
land before June %, 1874, to take such
an additional amount of land as shall
complete the maximum 100 acres al
lowable in the original entry. The
same privilege is extended to his wild.
ow. The right is now assignable and
as such is popularity known as soldiers
additional homestead scrip.
Eighth. A forest reserve lieu land
right is derived from the act of con-
gress of June 4, 1897, which allows
holders of land in forest reserves to
relinquish the same to the government
and to select equal quantities of non