Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1914-11-11
NEW LAW IN AID OF
SETTLEMENT OF LANDS
From Wednesdays Daily.O

lO1OTe WltnnelQ from all IOIIlS Vi
entry because OF the possible pres
ence OF mineral deposits are now
open TO agricultural settlement I'M
der a law which went into effect
July II, 1914. Entry under the new
act involves the retention by the
government OF title TO certain speci-
fed minerals believed to underhe
the lands. This sort OF agricultural
entry OF coal land has been allow
ed since June D, 1910, and OF oil
land in Utah since August "a, 1912.
The present law extends this right
OF non-mineral entry to all public
lands Withdrawn. classified, or val
liable for phosphate, nitrate, potash.
oil. gas, or asphaltic minerals. Any
form OF non-mineral filing may be
ade-homestead, desert-land, tim
Der and stone. state selections or
any other-the government reserv-
ing the mineral deposits for which
the lands are believed to be valu-
able and the right to prospect for
and mine them. If, for example,
a man should make entry in one
OF the great phosphate fields OF
Florida. Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, or
Montana his patent would give him
the right to the surface and to all
minerals which might thereafter be
found except phosphate. Or if his
homestead should be in one OF the
oil fields of California, Wyoming,
Utah. Colorado. or Louisiana. he
would receive patent to everything
but oil and gas. Before the gov
eminent or its assignes comes on
his land to prospect for phosphate
or for oil. the entryman is secured
against any damages which he may
sustain in the course of the pros
pecting or mining.
Will Open Up Dry-Farming Areas.
Inasmuch as large Withdrawals OF
mineral lands have been made in
the arid and meri-arid Western
States, where entries may be made
under the enlarged-homestead acts,
the recent law will considerably ex-
tend the area open TO dry-farming
homesteads. Many applications for
the designation of lands as subject
to enlarged-homestead entry have
in the past been refused because
the lands were withdrawn, but these
applications may now be granted,
and those whose applications have
been refused on this ground should
resubmit them to the director OF
the geological survey. In this con-
nection the director reiterates for
mer statement to the effect that no
definite form OF petition is required,
and that there is no necessity Tor
employing the services OF an at
torney to draw up petitions. He
suggests however. that the follow
ing rides be observed:
Each applicant should be limited
as; far as possible to the specific
tract desired for entry and should
contain the applicants post-office
address and a description, by sec
ton, township, and range, OF the
applicants original homestead entry
and the date of this entry, as well
as description, also by legal sub
divisions, Of the land desired for
additional entry Information as to
the possibility of irrigating the land
should alsp be furnished and should
include the distance and direction
of the nearest stream or existing
or proposed irrigation canal, the
elevation of the lowest point OF the
land above such source of water
supply, the depth at which water
can be reached by wells sunk on the
land. and all available information
concerning attempts to obtain water
by this method. The general char
acter of the land, both OF the home
steader's original entry (if he has
made one) and OF the land desired
for additional entity, should also be
described, to aid the geological sur
vey in reaching a decision as to
its non-irrigatility. 1t should be
noted that at present Only entry
men who have not made final proof
are entitled to make additional en-
tfy.
This information should be en-
bodied in a letter sent to the Di-
rector, u. S. Geological Survey,
Washington, D. c. A formal petit
ton drawn up by notary will not
result in any earlier Goa Iteration
of the matter than will be given
if the applicant writes personally
Action will be taken on each re-
quest as promptly as is consistent
with proper regard to other re-