Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1915-03-27
HOMESTEAD LAWS
Two Land Bills Passed Last Session Of
Congress of Interest to
South Dakota.

Two laws of special importance tc
South Dakota passed during the last day:
of the Sixty-third congress are public
No. 299, (H. R. 169s), and public No
279, III. R. 129l9). Both are amend
ments of the original enlarged home
stead or 800 acre act of February 49,
1909, (35 Stat, 639). which applied to the
states of Colorado, Montana, Nevada
Oregon, Utah. Washington and Wyom'
ing, and to the then territories Of Ari-
zona and New Mexico. Subsequent acts
haze added Idaho, California. North Da;
kota and Kansas to the list of states to
which the enlarged homestead act is ap-
plicable.
The lands which may be entered un-
der the original and amended acts are
non-mineral. non-lrrigable, unreserved
and unappropriated and without mer-
chantable timber thereon. The act per-
mits of an original entry of 800 acres OF
lands of the character described.
| Provisions Extended.
Public No, 900 extends the provisions
of the original act and acts amendatory
thereof to South Dakota, the original
bill having been amended in this re-
spect at the instance of Senator Sterling.
| The act permits homesteader on lands
Of such character, who has not made
final proof on the 100 acre tract first en-
tered, to make an application for an ad-
ditional l60 acres contiguous to his un-
perfected entry. 1t is not required that
the lands subject to entry under this act
shall have been previously designated
by the secretary of the interior before
application for entry can be made out
but the application must be supported
| by the cooroborated affidavit of the ap-
plicant in duplicate, showing that the
land applied for is of the character con-
templated by the enlarged homestead
act. The application will be received
| by the register aud receiver Of the land
district in which the land is located and
action thereon suspended until it shall
have been determined by the secretary
of the interior whether the land, entry
of which is applied for, is of the char
acter contemplated by the act. During
such suspension the land described in
said application will be segregated and
| not subject to entry until the case is dis.
! posed Of fit is found that the land is
as the character contemplated by the
act, then the application shall be allow
ed; otherwise it shall be rejected, sub
ject to appeal.
Additional Entries
The original homestead act, and acts
amendatory thereof, permitted an ad-
ditional entry only in cases where final
proof had not been made upon the origi-
nal entry, but public No. 279 changes
the law in this respect and permits any
person who still owns and occupies the
land entered to make an additional en-
try of land contiguous to his first entry
! which, with his first entry, shall not ex-
ceed 800 acres. 1t will therefore be pos
sible for number of homesteaders with
| in the state on lands of the character
described in the enlarged homestead act
and who have already proved up but are
still living on their original entry, to
make entry of contiguous land to the
extent of an additional 100 acres.
Regulations under these acts have not
yet been issued by the interior depart
nent but it may be advisable for any.
one who contempates making either an
original entry of 320 acres or an addi.
tional entry, to make the necessary ap-
plication to the register and receiver in
the district in which the land is located
at the earliest opportunity.
These acts do not apply to Indian re-
servation lands which, under existing
law relating to the disposal of such lands
haye been or are disposed of at apprais.
ed prices, but only TO lands subject to
entry under the general homestead law.
Under date of March %. the register ol
the Rapid City land Office writes:
This Office is receiving and filing ap-
plications under the Act of February 49,
1909, and Acts amendatory thereto
which will be held pending the desig
nation of the lands. We have no blank
forms or official instructions to furnish
you; there is enclosed marked copy o
the official instructions under this ac
prior to the amendments of March 3rt
and 4tb, 1915, which authorizes the fiji
ing of applications subject to future des
ignation of the lands involved, also au
thorizing the filing by one who still own
and occupies his original entry since fina
proof Care should be taken to file th,
required affidavit duplicate. The requir
ed forms heretofore used may be founC
in Land Decisions 81, pages 55l to 55a
which should be modified to compl.
with the facts in each case"
The marked copy of the official in
structions referred to above can be seel
by calling at the Chronicle Office.
/ -~~
DEATH OF DIR. MAPLE.