The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1911-01-26

recent ruling by the Department OF the Interior,
relat We to the matter in which government land in
this state may be homesteaded seems to the indie
pendent to be very unjust one, and one that our
congressman should take pains to see it charged at
once. In former years, settlers could file on 16O
acres and either commute or make five year proofs,
after doing a reasonable amount of improving. To-
day, on practically ali of the land in the Minot, Will
lston and Bismarck land districts, the settlers must
file under the act of June o. 1870 which provides
for a linn ted surface title to all lands with
drawn coal lands. This includes every portion
OF land in this distr ct excepting few townships
in the northwestern portion, which prac
tcally all settled. When proof is to be made this
land, it be done in accordance with the act Of
Feb. 10, 1909, known the Enlarged homestead
act providing for five year proof only and the
cultivation of the land as follows: Once ghth of
entry under cultivation the second year. onefourth
the third year and continuance of that guilty.
ton until proof is made. That act was supposed
to apply only Montana where settlers get 800
acres of land while in North Dakota they can file
on but 100 acres or fraction thereof Any way,
most of the land which is left is in small tracts and
if the land department would only play fair with
those who would be pleased to file on the land,
the way of more taxable property, and many poor
fellow might be given opportunity to file on land
for grazing purposes Much Of the land that is left
is rough for agricultural purposes consequently
the settlers would have hard time complying with
the law in cutivating the required amount. Under
the former rul ng, where the land was too rough
for farming, the land department accepted fencing
and pasturing the land in lieu Of breaking. Repre-
T
the matter before Hon. A. J. Gronna and it is ex-
pected some action will be taken soon. Many who
desired to file the land in tbs district have
been disappointed, for scores upon learning from
the land office officials, the requirements have
gwen up all hope of ever securing title to home
stead. Ten years ago. the government might have
put this act into effect and accomplished something
but today greater injustice could not have been
done to the Northwest. We don't believe that those
respons Bile for this act realized what was being
done. Remedial steps should be- and no doubt will
will be taken at an early date.
Down in the eastern part Of the state the aver
age fellow doesn't realize that civil eaton has yet
struck the western portion of North Dakota many
believing that the buffalo still roams the desert
wastes and that the Indian turks n the deep
SHADOW, awaiting the arrival of small bands of
settlers. thai he may add more sclps to his belt
'Nubs' Davis Of the Grand Forks Herald is enc of
these unbeliev ng fellows. ''Nubs" doesn't know
that We have had telephone connexions with the
outside word for nearly ten years. He published
in his interest ng column of newsets the following
item, taken fOu, q Ten Yeors Ago" column in the
Velga Journal. Nubs failed to give credit to that
column and publ shed the matter as live news
Here it is
1t is possible that VelVa may have telephone con-
nections with Minot Towner and Granville before
another year rolls around The scheme 8 bein.
Agltated and may develop. The inc would probably
extend from Minot to Veva north to Granville. and
thence east TO the county seat An enterprise of
this character would soon prove a paying invest
ment, besides greatly facilitating business between
these important points. In the event of the COM
pleton OF this enterprise it would not be long be-
fore Balfour Anamoose and other points on the aoo
would be connected
bill has passed the House with every prosnects
for passing the Senate, which provides for an in
crease in pensions for soldiers of the Mexican and
Civil war