Palisadian., 1923-06-01
PUBLIC LANDS
FOR VETERANS
$4,000 Acres Available for
Homesteads for Soldiers.
GIVEN CREDIT FOR SERVICE

lands have been thrown open for vet
Grams of the World war by the Depart
ment of the Interior and other thou
all instances the man who fought will
have preference In the selection of the
best acres Of these great domains. He
can deduct from the legal period Of
three years necessary to prove
homestead title the time he served
with the colors In other words. the
man who fought two years can prove
his title In twelve months.
The public domain Is diminishing at
the rate of 100000 acres annually,
the unreserved acreage under federal
control now being estimated at about
1872 100000 acres. Fifty years ago this
federal-owned land exceeded 100000,
600 acres. Ten years ago the total was
2SO,0OO,0O0. This does not include the
375 100000 unsurveyed acres in Alaska.
Public lands recently opened to ex-
service men include 100000 acres in
Emery and Grant counties, Utah. stu
ated on the Denver and Rio Grande
railway near the town of Elgin. 1t Is
a country of scenic beauty in the foot
hills of the Rockies. The mineral
rights. including petroleum and coal.
are retained by the government.
Lands In Five States.
The second withdrawal Of 275,O00
acres for the benefit of war veterans
affects lands in five states. OF this
%, TOO acres are In Idaho In Owyhee
county, near the little towns of Fairy
lawn and Riddle. The second largest
tract. $4,000 acres. Is In Beayerhead
county, Montana, near Lakeview. The
third tract of 1890 acres Is in Eu-
reka and Elko counties, Nevada; the
fourth. of $500 acres. is In Rio Arrlba
county, New Mexico, and the fifth
tract, Of 1900 acres. Is In Mesa county.
Colorado.
Thousands of these acres are in
pastures and on other thousands the
timber rights that 60 with them are
added inducement for the soldier to
try his hand at making living In the
open country.
The remaining territory upon which
ex-service men may settle includes
1893 acres in Sublet county, Wyoming,
six irrigated tracts in the Newlands
project Of Nevada and 1000 acres In
Carbon county, Utah, the last-named
tract in the Cheyenne district. Also
waiting for the soldiers are two small
tracts in the grazing country in Custer
county, Colorado, and in the Dallas
district of Oregon.
The public domain Is now confined
to "a states, the largest Of the do
mains-52, ,429, ,745 acres-being in Ne
vada, and the smallest acreage
2,994-in Kansas. In Utah the domain
still exceeds 26, 900 acres, in Cali
fornia 1t is above 18,30O,0OO acres.
| Wyoming 16.S59.000, New Mexico 49,
100000, Arizona 1851 900, Idaho
S,74O,OOO. Colorado 1881 600. Montana
$3.50, 900, Washington ], $4,000. Arkan-
sas 257,80O, Minnesota 254,300. South
Dakota 100000, and In Florida 104. 400
acres. In the remaining states--Ala-
Misna. Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan,
Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota,
Oklahoma and Wisconsin--the public
domain varies from a few thousands
of acres to less than 100000.
Soldiers Seek Public Lands.
ION the conclusion Of every major
war in which the United States has
engaged" said Judge Edward O. Fin
ney. the assistant secretary of the In
terror. "many of the soldiers have
sought homes upon the public lands.
At the conclusion Of the Revolutionary
war the Ohio valley, Kentucky and
Tennessee offered attractive possibili-
ties in this direction. At the end of
the Civil war the development Of the
great West had Just begun, and thou
sands Of soldiers engaged In farming
on the western lands or In railroad
construction work and mining. The
conclusion Of the World war found
the area of the public domain greatly
reduced, but the same interest was
manifested by many of the veterans.
THE soldiers of the World war. as
lean, Mexican border operations. and
of the Civil war, are by statute al
lowed credit for their service in lieu
of residence upon the land. each SOL
dler being required to reside upon his
homestead entry for at least one year.
The time required for proving up on
homestead entry Is three years, con-
sequently a soldier who has seen two
or more years service In any of the
wars need reside upon his homestead
| but one year in order to establish
ownership and secure possession Of
| the land.
Proof Without Residence.
Another advantage given soldiers
of the World war who We're honorably
discharged or separated because Of
physical incapacities due to service,
and who had heretofore made home
stead entries. was to permit them to
make proof without further residence,
upon a showing that they were phys
lcally unable to return to the land
This law was passed in 1921.
"The law in which soldiers desiring
to secure homes on the land. are most
Interested Is that approved by Presl-
dent Harding on January 81. 1922,
which gives to veterans of the World
war a preference right of entry over
all other citizens for 90 days to enter
apv rnhlin nr Indian lands xuhIch ora