Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-13
NOT Final
Interior Department Warns
Teachers About Taking Up
Homestead Lands
THEY MAY BE FORFEITED
THEY MAY BE FORFEITED
Fourteen Weeks Year Not Sufficient
Occupancy Admiral Evans Fleet
May Not Find Sufficient Docks on
Pacific No Uneasiness FeIt-Wash.
ington News.

Washington, July 13.-The anterior
department is receiving a flood of in
quiries regarding the effect of a recent
decision of the department relative
matter of taking up public lands under
the homestead law. The decision was
rendered in a contest made against the
entry of woman teacher employed
in Minnesota, and, while 1t was shown
that she had lived on the land only
during her vacation, covering only
about fourteen weeks for each of the
four years she had held it, the depart
ment failed to sustain the contestant.
This holding has been construed
turnout the public land states as
equivalent to "a declara ton that teach
ers may be permitted to make home-
stead entries and to make final proof
without complying with the require
ments made of other applicants, and
the large number of letters received on
the subject promises numerous en-
tries under that construction.
Acting Secretary of the Interior
Woodruff and Acting Commissioner
bennett of the general land office, to-
day united in q statement that the de-
cision has received construction
which was not contemplated by the
department. They call attention to
the fact that the decision did not app
ply to communication case, but to
case in which the applicant had held
the land for four of the five years re-
CURED by law.
They point out that the decision was
not final, and that it dealt with the
rights of the contestant rather than
those of the contestee, merely holding
that the improvements were adequate,
but not attempting to say whether
title will be granted at the end OF
five years if the proof shows only four
teen weeks occupancy for each year.
They therefore warn teachers that dis
appointment is liable to be the fate Of
those who may attempt to secure land
by living on it only during vacation
time. and especially of those who at
tempt to secure it under such plan
with the communication feature added.
Washington, July 1S.-Now that the
visit of the battlesfips of the Atlantic
fleet to the Pacific coast is officially adj
mitted, the gossip of the navy depart
ment touches upon the docking facih-
ties available for the accommodation of
those vessels. 1t is generally expected
that after their long trip around Caps
Horn, some of the vessels at least, will
require thorough overhauling and the
question naturally arises where this
will be done, in view of the fact that
the navy has but one dock on the Pa
cific coast that at Puget sound which
is capable of receiving the large bat
tleships of the modern navy. There is
a dock at Mare Island but this is too
small for the accommodation of any
of the big battleships.
The government has another dry
dock under cons truction at Mare Island,
which, when completed, will be capable
of receiving the largest of the vessels
now in service or contracted for. But
there is considerable difference of opin-
ion among the officials on duty at the
navy department at Washington as to
whether, after all, this dock will be
available for use In view of the limited
depth of water across the bar over
which the vessels have to go before
reaching the navy yard. Some of the
officers think that this can be done,
and cite as an example the recent feat
Of the armored cruiser Charleston,
which went, over the bar drawing "a
feet of water.
The new dry dock at Mare Island
most six years The delay has been
q source of extreme disappointment to
the officials here and now the prob
abilities are, according to the official
report received at the navy depart
ment, that it will be almost a year
and half before the dock is ready
to be turned over to the government.
The contract called for its completion
90, next. The government
declared the former contract forfeited
because of the slow progress and a
new contract was necessary, under
which the work is now going on. The
new dock will be 720 feet long, 102
feet wide and 80 feet deep.
Naval officers, however. are not Civ
ing the question of docking facilities
On the coast any serious concern, for
hey say there are two large docks at
Hunters Point, near San francisco,
belonging to private parties which the
navy may use just as any private ship |
owner, by paying the usual docking
charges. One Of these docks is very
arge and will accommodate any Amer
can vessel afioat
Former Representative Lacey of Iowa
appears as counsel in what promises
o he one OF the richest coal land suits |