Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-01-25
AN IMPORTANT
LAND MEASURE
Text OF the Bill Recently Introduced
oy Representative Joseph N. Dix.
on, Of Montana.
AMENDS THE HOMESTEAD LAW
LANDS Recently Opened in Rosebud.
Coster' Missoula and Flathead
Not Subject to Its Provisions.

trOduced by Representative Joseuh NJ
Dixon. of Montana, Jan. 9, making
provision for increasing homestead en-
tries upon certain lands from 16O u
GAO acres. which was referred to the
public lands committee, has been
printed and copies are now in the
possession Of all members. The pro-
posed amendment to the homestead
laws Is designed to apply to certain
lands in Western states that can not
be irrigated and is along the lines NJ
the measure passed several years ago
ana made applicable to certain lands
IN the western portion of Nebraska.
Mr.. Dixon's bill is as follows:
BE 1t enacted by the senate ar /
mousse OF representatives of the Unit.
ed States Of America in congress an.
sembled, that from and after s;xtv
days after the approval of this act
entries made under the homestead
laws in the state of Montana shall
not exceed in area six hundred and
compact 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 described as in the opinion
OF the secretary of the interior it NAV
be reasonably practicable to irrigate
by means OF water conducted, by o,.
binary and usual metnUds of irriea.
tlon, from natural streams by grav.
ity; and that said secretary shall.
prior to the date above mentioned.
designate and exclude from entry un-
der this act the lands which in his
opinion 1t may be possible to irrieate
as aforesaid: And provided, that the
lands IN Custer and Rosebud coun-
Ties, Montana, opened to settlement
under and by virtue of the act of con.
gress approved April q. 1904, and tho
lands in Missoula and Flathead coun-
Ties, Montana, opened to settlement
under and by virtue of the act of con-
gress approved April 23, 1904, slsu
not be subject to the provisions Of
this act.
Additional Entries.
section 2. That entrymen under
the homestead laws of the United
States residing within the territory
above described who now open ahd
occupy lands within said territory and
Whose previous homestead entries
were situated west of the one hum
aredth meridian Of longitude west
from Greenwich and east of the crest
~ tue cascade mountains may, under
tne provisions of this act and subject
10 its conditions, enter other laudS
contiguous to their present holdings.
which shall not, with the land SO al
ready entered, exceed in the acrre.
gate six hundred and forty acres: anA
residence upon the original home.
steads shall be accepted as equivalent
to residence upon the additional land
SO entered. but final entry shall NOT
De allowed OF such additional lanI
until five years after first entering the,
same: Provided, that persons own
Ing land within the area embraced
by this act who may be eligible tn
make homestead entry by authority
hereof shall have preference r.sht
70 enter any lands contiguous to tneir
holdings for thirty days from and aH-
Ter the date of the approval hereof.
IN case OF conflict between applicants
'or such additional entry Of contiguous
ands as herein provided, priority OF
application within such period of 20
lays shall govern. except that, as o..
ween applicants who have made
homestead entries within the area Gov.
RED by the provisions of this act and
nose who have made such entries
lsewhere, previous entrymen within
ne state state of Montana shall have
ne preference for such period of 30
avs. w
Section 3. That all lands included:
'lthin the operations of this act shall
e subject to the provisions of the
ational irrigation law, SO called, and
ne secretary Of the interior shall
ave power to withdraw such lands
rom entry from time to time, as in
AID national irrigation law provided.
section 4. That the fees and COM
llssiOns on all entries under this act
1all be uniformly the same as those
larged under the present law for a
axlmum entry at the minimum price:
rovided, that former homestead
airy shall not be a bar to the entry
nder the provisions of this act of a
act which. together with the former
ltry, shall not exceed six hundred
Id forty acres.''