The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-19

One OF the most coInpIlCated laHu
squabbles in history promises to come
up "Wednesday morning when the gov
ernment officially opens for entry un-
der the enlarged homestead act thirty
six square miles Of land between Mo-
dcna and Lund on the main line of the
Salt Lake Route. Gaping the climax
TO wild rush for the land there will
be long list of contests for the reg
lister and receiver TO settle and it is
thought possible that there may be
some trouble of other kinds. 1t was
announced Saturday by land Office of
ficials that the rush of Wednesday un
doubtedly will surpass anything of the
kind in the history of the land Office.
AT present, while the land Office of
ficials are getting ready for the open
ing and looking forward to it with
dread colony of homeseekers is
squabbling on the land, claiming vari
Gus kinds of preference rights and at
tempting to get one another off. Word
was received Saturday by the land
Office that there are several persons
on nearly every tract Of $50 acres of
the land TO be thrown open and they
are having all kinds of trouble over
the question of who was on the land
first.
1t is said by persons who have been
at the scene within the last few days
that the situation is rather alarming
because of the fact that several per
sons are claiming and occupying each
tract and the feeling among these set
tiers is bitter All arc preparing to
appear at the land office Saturday and
file and in the disputes which will fol
low the simultaneous fling on the
on the land. That will lead to land
contests, in all probability.
Hold Different Views.
With the dispute about prior rights
il may be that it is all in vain be-
cause of the law. At present there is
difference of opinion Mt the land
Office regarding the enlarged homestead
law. some of the land officials saying
tanned on enlarged land and others con-
tending that such rights cannot be Sc
cured.
Captain George f. Hair, chief of the
field division of the Offices, asserts pos
| itively that the law does not provide
| for any preference right and does not
| give "squatter' any right above
the person who has not attempted to
''squat' on the land. He says the
| land will be granted TO the first per
son who files entry on the land when
il is opened.
Z. D, r. Thompson, register of the
office. says that the "squatters
rights will be observed He says
! that if a person goes upon the land be-
fore it is opened for entry or upon I'M
surveyed land and puts up his corner
stakes and actually cuItivates part
of the land ne believes he will be given
a preference right. He says, however,
that unless a fair amount Of work is
done the person cannot expect to hold
the ground or claim any prior or pref
erence rights.
Other members of the land Office
have various opinions ON the subject
1t is said also that Commissioner Den
nett of the general land Office has ruled
both ways, which has added more ques.
tions to the subject
With this state of affairs, a number
Of the how wcstcaders on unsurveycd
land near Milford have written TO Com
missioner bennett asking for his ad-
vice. If he says no prior or preference
rights can he obtained IL Will make Il
great stir among homcsteaders in the
Milford district.
Settled at Auction.
AS 10 whether or not the preference
claims of the hoyesteaders on the land
near Modena have done any work on
the land there is doubt. and that
rlay be another reason for their claims
Of 'rcfcrcuce rights being OF no value
The usIal form Of handling sinm
tancous films on tho same tract is tC
dispose Of the right to flc on the land
hr bidding. the highest bidder getting
the right. the loser having right tc
file on another piece OF ground. auc
Uncle Sar "cltjng the money.
As To whether or not Jhis system viii
he cmpoved III II case where the home
steaders arc claiminQ the land under
! the " "sGgattcr So right is not known
the land officials apparently not know
. inc Just whit is best 10 do in spch. Z
! case. II is thought, however. that Tho
matter will he put uD 10 the register
and receiver or TO the commissioner il
Washington.
To allow preference rights Will NEAR
I'LL kinds of contests and some tangled
situations in the way of claims of own
ership To disregard "squater rights
will mcan that many persons will bt
badly disappointed,
, The rush is being made for the No
dena lands because Of the fact thai