Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-01-04
THE640 ACRE HOME
STEADHASbECON
OPERATIVE
ANNOUNCED BY LEWISTON LAND
oFFTCE-APPLIES TO STOCK
RAISING LAND.
Open VAST TRACKS OF LAND
News viii be Received With Joy by
Many Idaho County Men-Atfects
Salmon River Country.

An announcement of far-reaching i'm
portance in a development way to all
Idaho was made Saturday through re-
ceipt by the officials of the Lewiston
land office of telegram from Washing
ton announcing that the stockraising
homestead law is in force-this enact
ment being another step in the policy
of the Wilson administration to encour-
age the appropriation by the people Of
western lands and the placing of the
same to the uses of mankind
This act, which supplements the 800
acre act, allows for the entry of $40
acres of land where the same is not
adapted to agriculture or horticulture
and not subject to irrigation and where
not principally valuable for its timber
in other words lands principally adapt
able for grazing.
The telegram received yesterday by
Register Heitfeld and Receiver Hoas
from United States Land Commission
er Clay Tallman announced that ap-
plications for entry, with petitions for
designation, would now be received, but
would be suspended, this suspension
evidently to allow period for the de-
| ficaticn.
Register Heitfeld estimates that
lands available for entry under this
act in the Lewiston land office district
will reach $4,000 to 100000 acres and
possibly 100000 acres. In this district
such lands are located principally in
| the Salmon river section of Idaho
| county, with some in Nez Perez and
Lewis county. Due to the timber stand,
little of such land is located in Clear
water county and practically none in
Latah.
| View is expressed that throughout
Idaho the act will result in the settle
ment of hundreds of thousands of acres
of land.
The act provides that land entered
must be in compact body, but where a
a person has entered 800 acres under
the old act, he shall be privileged
enter additional ground up to $40
acres if such land is located within
radius of twenty miles of the original
entry. However, he must first utilize
such lands as are contiguous to this
Ioriginal entry. The entryman instead
of cultivation must put improvements
on the land reaching $1.25 an acre and
at least one-half of such improvements
must be provided within three years. If
a homesteader has not completed proof
on an existing entry he can make addi-
tional entry and residence on the origi-
nal entry will be allowed, but ON the
additional entry he must make improve
ments reaching $1.25 an acre.
In a case where an entryman has
made entry on lands under previous
acts, and where he has placed no en-
cumbrances on the land or has not sold
the same. and there is no land eontigu'
Gus or within a radius of twenty miles
for additional entry, he may relinquisb
, his original entry and make a new en-
try for $40 acres.
, The commutation provisions of the
. homestead laws will not apply to thi.
act.
{ Any person having entered lands will
have ninety-day preference on cont
guous lands for an additional entry
Where such contiguous lands apply tc
n two or more entrymen, the secretary OF
the interior will make an equitable divi
sion of the lands between these entry
, men, allotting in forty-acre tracts, bu
4 if there is only one such track, the frs
I person making the application for thu
additional entry will be given prefer
: ence.
n In all entries the government reserve
: the right to allow qualified persons t.
n enter upon the lands to prospect TO
9 coal or other mineral.