The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1916-12-30
GAO ACRE BILL SIGNED
BY PRESIDENT WILSON


Washington. Dec. 29.-President VIII
son late today signed the Ferris bill
( opening up 64O-acre homesteads for
stock raising and grazing purposes. 1t
is accounted of great Importance to the
western states.
The bill authorizes the secretary OF
the interior to designate the land
which viii be subject to entry under
this bill. II win require some time to
do this and those who attempt to
make filings under the bill prior to
such designation by the secretary must
do so at their own risk. The bill pro-
vides, however that settlers may file on
land before the secretary has complet-
ed the work OF designation The ap-
plic;.tion must be accompanied by afIi-
davits showing that in the opinion of
the entryman the land Is OF the char
acter contemplated by the act. In ad-
ditiou to that the entryman must de-
posit with the land office the regular
fees and commissions and thereupon
the land will be withdrawn from entry
until the secretary of the interior
shall have an opportunity to determine
it's character. The entryman. however,
viii not be permitted to occupy the
land until the secretary has actually
htSAkINAth IL as subject TO entry.
Any person qualified to make entry
under the general homestead laws of
the United States may make a stock
raising homestead entry. Instead OF
cultivation. as required by the general
homestead laws. the entryman win be
required to make permanent improv-
ments upon the land OF value OF not
less than $i.25 per acre. and at least
one-half OF the improN A-nts must be
placed on the land within three years
from the Gcte of entry.
The bill provides that settlers who
have made filings under the general
homestead law and amendments there
TO may make additional filing sufficient
to give them 6tO acres. However,
they must show thai the land on which
they originally filed is of the same
character as the land affected by the
$40 bill In other words. that II is
chiefly valuable for grazing and rails
ing forage crops, does not contain
merchantable timber is not suscept-
ible OF irrigation from any known
source OF water supply. and is OF such
character that $40 acres are reasonably
required for the support OF family"
The land covered by an additional
entry must be within n radius OF 20
miles from the settlers first entry, and
entryman is required to file on contig-
uous areas which may be open to en-
try prior to hling in not-contiguous
land.
Homesteaders who are living on
their original entries are not requir-
ed to establish residence on their adj
ditional entries. When they come 10
prove up 1t will only be necessary for
her n np har a..
the required permanent improvements
In case "A homesteader finds he Is
within the prescribed radius of 20 miles
he may. II he sees fit, surrender his or
ginal filing and make new entry COW
ering $40 acres. The second entry,
however, must be in the same land Of
flee district as the first Homesteaders
who are entitled to make additional
entries have preferential right to file on
lands for ninety days after the sec
retary OF the interior has designated
the land subject to entry under the
provisions OF the bill In case this
preferential right leads to conflict
between homesteaders the secretary
of the interior IS authorized 20 make
"A division of the land.
The United States reserves all the
coal and other minerals in the land
subject to entry.
AT the suggestion Of the cattle
raising interests a provision was plac-
ed in the bill authorizing the secretary
OF the interior TO withdraw from en-
try, water hoes and other bodies OF
water needed or used by the public
for watering stock. He was also auth
orized 20 withdraw from entry such
lands as might be necessary TO estab-
llsh driveways needed for use In the
movement of stock to the summer and
winter range or TO shipping points.
He viii make rules and regulations
for the administration of these drive
ways.