Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-02-16
Questions and Answers Relat-
to the Reclamation Law and
its Operations.
fCnnfinuAA Senv,o LAT i~ann\

4t9 OpoI4ClOO8.
Continued from last iseue.)
LANDS IL PRIVATE OwNRasHlP.
@. I'll own tract of land to which
water may be brought BY . government
ditch. how shal! I obtain water right?
A. 1T will be necessary to become a
member Of the local Water Users Asso.
citation, and subscribe to oil the require.
msnts Of membership in such associs-
ton.
Q. For what amount Of land can
water be bad?
A. Sec. OF the law statee that no
right to tho use at water for lands in
private ownership shall Do sold for u
tract exceeding l6O acres to any one
land owner.
9. Can obtain water for full tract
OF 100 acres?
A. This matter IL left IT, the dis.
cretten Of .he Secretary IT the Interior.
and the acreage may he rsducad to l20.
80 or 40 acres. according to the sur.
rounding conditions.
Q. Can I. while resihing 10 some
other locality where l Am earning a
living. obtain water for tract of land?
A. You can not obtain water right
for your land unless you are an actual
BONA fde resident on such land, or
occupant thereof risiding in the neigh
borhood.
q. What 10 meant by the "neighbor-
hood?"
A. It 10 probable that it will be held
that a person mus, live within such
distance of the land that he can oaily
cultivate or care for it. This provision
relating to- an occupant residing In the
neighborhood was drawn originally
with reference to the conditions IN
Utah, where the farmers live in small
communities. ana cultivate farms sur.
rounding the villages. In this case the
farms are all within an easy drive of
the homes OF the owners.
q. For how much land can I obtain
water?
A. For an area Of 40, 80, 12O or l60
acres. according to a rule to be estab-
ishec in eHch locality by the Secretary
OF the Interior. This amount is 10 lie
determined by the quantity Of irrixable
land which may be reasonably required
for the support Of a family.
@. Why can not water 10 had for a
larger acreage?
A. The object of the law is, not
merely to reclaim the land, bnt TO fur
nish homes for the greatest number Of
persons, and to bring about an inten.
sive cultivation of the soil. 1t is nsces-
sary to out down Inc land holdings to
such point ~ will enable large mum.
ber OF families to make q comfortable
living.
@. III have form of over 100 acres,
for which want water. what must do?
A. You can, by joining the Water
Users Association. secure water for 100
acres or less. a. the rule may be; but
the remainder of the land cannot have
water unless It Is conveyed bv . re-
corded deed to some other person.
@. Can convey this to relative, or
friend. and can he obtain water and
then transfer the title back to mt?
| A. To secure q title to water will
necessitate thu land being conveyed by
actual recorded deed. and remain in the
ownership OF some other person for 5 or
possibly 10 years or more. Such person
must also bean aclual bona fde resident
of the land. or an occupant thereof in
the neiehborhood.
@. III own piece OF land. and put
. tenant upon it, will not this comply
with The requirements of the law?
A. No; the law 10 explicit In that tho
land owner shall be an actual bona fde
resident. Il 10 not the purpose Of the
law to encourage landlordism or ten
antry.
Q. II there are several children In 4
| family, can The land b decided in
separate tracts to each of these children.
and water thus secured?
A. This might be done If each lndi.
vidusl is competent to be an lndepen-
dent land owner, but he must have title
| OF record in fec and have An actual
residence on the land OF In tho vicinity.
@. What can bs done in case Of .
man owning several hundred, or
thousand acres or Trust Company hay.
ing large tracts?
A. Unless tho person is an actual
resident and occupant Of the soil, he
can not obtain any water rights. and the
land must be left without any water
supply unless it 10 conveyed to an actual
bona 6de resident and cultivator.
@. Can not any arrangement be
made pending the time Of disposal OF
the land?
A. Subscriptions will be received by
the local water users association, and
an understanding reached that the land
can ultimately receive water when
properly labeled.
q. How can those lands be sold?
A. The owner can sell q bis own