The Dickinson press., 1915-01-30
H, E,
ACT UP T0.SENATE
"St0ck- Raising HOmestead'' of
GAO Acres is Wanted, But
Balk in Congress Makes
Unce
1t Would be Great Thing for
Settling Up Bad Lands
Country in N. ID.

|
Recently the House of Representa-
tives passed the "Stock Raising
Homestead" bill providing for farms
or ranches of $40 acres, and now the
measure is up to the Senate. The
bill was recommended just year ago
by the department of the interior,
and it has been the general opinion
that there would not be great oppo-
sition to it's passage in the upper
house of Congress. However, the
democrats and republicans have re-
Gently locked horns and it is possible
that there will be no more legisla-
tion before the close of the session in
March.
The object of the "Stock Raising
Homestead" bill, as was fully ex-
planned in the PRESS of April II,
1914, is to utilize and improve lands
that to large extent are now lying
idle. Throughout the Little Missouri
country in this state there are large
tracts of rough and mountainous
lands which cannot be farmed, but
which would make good grazing tracts
and afford a chance to raise feed and
fodder. 1t is proposed to designate
and open up these rough tracts for
|entry as "Stock-raising Homesteads."
AS the farming operations will be
Limited, there is no requirement of
cultivation of the land, but improve
ments are required upon the lands,
equal in value to not less than
SIPS per acre, one-half thereof to be
placed upon the land within three
years of the time of entry. Those
who have already entered land of
this character, or have acquired by
purchase land of same character of
Hess than GAO acres, are to have the
right to make an additional entry for
contiguous land upon the condition
that the entryman or land owner is
the head of the family or is twenty
one years Of age and citizen. The
J person must also reside upon or oc-
cupy the land entered or owned. In
case there is no vacant land contigu-
|Ous, the entryman or owner may re-
convey his entry back to the govern
ment providing the land is not en-
numbered. For this he receives the
right to make entry for $40 acres
! elsewhere.
Thus an entryman of 100 or 320
acres, providing proof has not already
been made, may relinquish and re-file
elsewhere on $40 acres. This will
cause an adjustment of holdings in
such areas and the land in turn may
be entered by entrymen or owners of
the adjacent. tracts. A provision is
made for preference right Of entry
within ninety days after the land has
been designated to the entry
man or owner Of adjoining land.
When vacant lands, contiguous to
tracts held or owned by two or more
parties entitled to additional entry,
are not large enough to allow each to
secure the maximum amount, the Sec
retary of the Interior makes an equit-
able division of the lands applied for.
The commutatio of the homestead
does not apply to entries under this
proposed bill. Any person who has
, lost or forfeited their homestead
shall be entitled to the benefits Of this
act providing the entry was not can
celled for fraud.
The Dickinson U. S. land district
, has at the present time approximately
100000 acres of unappropriated and
reserved public land, or about 600
enlarged homesteads. Account has
been made in the above figures for
the $4,000 acres of land which have
been withdrawn by entrymen in the
Dickinson land district since July 1st,
: but in the following figures of un-
= appropriated lands the deduction has
G not been made, the government fig
y ures of July 1st being used: Billings
county, $4,000 acres; Mckenzie
I county, 10000 acres; Dunn county,
J, $4,000 acres; Bowman county, $4,000
f acres; Adams county 800 acres; Stark
and Hettinger counties none.
1t will be seen by the foregoing
e figures that the unappropriated lands
Y are mostly in the Bad Lands, largely
!, lalong the Little Missouri river. If
, the "Stock Raising Homestead" bill
was enacted, large percentage of
: this land would undoubtedly be set
e tied and would thus bring great
: amount of unproducing land on to the
D tax list. 1t would tend to establish
= small stock ranches, as under the pro-
visions Of the proposed act settlers
could get land enough to make it
r worth while to build up permanent
e lplaces. y" a.- '''"
9 Register J. G. Quinlivan and Re
! ceiver Ed. j. Hughes Of the Dickinson
u. s. land office are thoroughly in
8 favor of the measure now before Con-
e gress, but they have no more infor-
nation. on the matter than is given
in this article. They get many in
quiries daily which shows that the
a people of this locality are intensely
8 interested. It is plainly evident that
hundreds Of people who have never
, used their homestead rights will be
anxious to file If the $40 acre home.