The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-06-09
HOW LEGION MEN GET LAND
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Applicants for Homestead Entries
Should First Make Personal In.
spection Of District.

In response to many inqulres from
e1-service men in the Middle West re
garding government land grants, lrVlI
]. Femrlte, secretary Of Argonne posi-
Of the American Legion III Dos MolneS
Ia, has made on Investigation Of tht
situation.
persons desiring to make Homestead
entries" said Mr.. Femrite, SHOULD
first fully inform themselves as to the
character and quality Of lands they
desire to enter and GOuld in no case
apply to enter until they have eX-
AHMED each legal subdivision for
which they make application. Salts
factory information concerning the
lands may be obtained from personal
visit to the district IL which one
wishes to take out land.
'Euch applicant is required to swear
that be is well acquainted with the
character Of the land described IN
bis application and the only way that
he can assure himself that prior
settlers have no claim is to make a
personal inspection Of same,
San ex-service man is required to
establish residence on the land in
VOWED after his entry Is allowed, un'
less an extension CT time Is granted
on account of sickness, climatic
reasons or similar excuses. Credit Is
given for service In the Army, Navy
or Marines, providing the applicant
has had eighteen months Of service. If
such Is the case, the applicant IS re-
quired to live on the land only seven
months. II he obtains 50 much credit
for military service that there is re-
Qulred only one years residence, he
must prove only such amount OF
cultivation as will prove his good faith
as a homestead claimant If his
credit for service requires more than
one years residence, he must show
cultivation to the extent Of one-six-
teenth Of the area Of the land be-
ginning with the second year. Regard
less Of credit for service, all appll.
cants must prove that there Is a
habitable house on the land.
"There Is only one portion Of the
country where land may be obtained
without the requirement of a home
stead. At Sentinel, Ariz, there are
10000 acres open, for which no home
stead Is required, but which necessi-
tates the payment Of seventy-fve
dollars for three hundred and twenty
acres and an expenditure of one
dollar per acre for improvement. This
Is arid land which may be used for
cotton raising If irrigated. When
irrigated, 1t sells for from two to
three hundred dollars an acre. 1t
Is estimated that the cost Of irriga-
ton on three hundred and twenty
acres IS about $4,000.
approximately 132,OOO,OOO acres of
land are open, including every state
west Of the Mississippi river except
Iowa and Texas. The, first thing to
do Is to decide on the state. Then,
get the location Of the land offices in
that state. All blank forms of affida-
Wits and other papers may be obtained
for the district office In which the
land lies.
Taking out homestead Is not a
speculative proposition. If the appli-
cant can afford to establish himself
for the period required under the
homestead laws. taking advantage Of
the credit allowed him for service In
the World war, he will be we'll repaid
after a few years."