| Show PUBLIC lands lanns iri thi in general answer to many special inquiries we state the following facts i A the larger portion of the unimproved roved uncultivated soll of the united tates states A including nearly all that of ot the states of nebraska nevada and oregon n as also of all the territories Terri torlea is still the property of the federal union andis and is known as the public domain 2 while much of the domain la Js ster ater ile rocky mountainous and thus unfit for cultivation a large proportion Is apfer fertile and excellent including thousands tho the us ands of df square miles milea which being treeless and very thinly grassed have been ac counted desert but which prove quite productive when reclaimed by irrigation 3 As a general rule any part of this domain not already granted to or mccu pied pidd by private owners is open to settlement by any one he re who equals equa ts ona tract to which lie he has hag no title is regarded aa as holding it by preemption pre emption he is of course liable to be but seldom is dispo dispossessed mEssed by a bona dona fide purchaser I 1 4 the government proffers a quarter section acres to any one who settles upon a tract to which no adverse title or claim exists erect erects sa a habitation and lives on it for five nive years he bas baa to pay for the papera papers and legal formalities requiring about 20 in ili all this is called making a homestead 5 con Oon congress gress has from time to t alo alp made extensive grants of land to states and companies in aid of the construction of railroads rall rail roada through the public domain these grants are usually of alternate ter fer nate sections or dr square miles for a certain distance on either eithan side of the projected railroad 6 the alternate sections reserved by vy the government are doubled in price and ho he who settles on these and proceeds to acquire a home under the homestead act is allowed but eighty instead of the usual one hundred and sixty acres 7 the tho general price of the public lands is sl 12 25 5 per acre or for acres the alternate sections reserved by tho the government along the lines of railroads are held at double price or 2 50 per acre 8 the railroad companies generally charge more for their hei aei r alternate sections but as the governments land is hel hei held heid at per acre and eighty acres of it may be acquired by settlement for less than dhan 20 the governments sections are likely to have hava the preference 9 it is decidedly advisable that those who have the means should buy their lands either of the government or the railroads it precludes all controversy aa as to the due performance of the homestead requirements gives an instant and perfect leand tit title titie and enables the owner to sell and convey go and come lease or rent without peril of creating an adverse title or invalidating his own 10 no one can legally locate whether with cash or script a quarter section actually in the possession by legal occupancy and residence of a settler though behag behas he bag baa not paid and does not mean to pay for it but this principle does not apply to the alternate sections granted to railroads which do not recognize pre emotions 11 A quarter ter section of public land is not necessarily n ay a regular quarter of some designated section but may be made up of two eighties or four forties forming one compact body though these were parts of different quarter sections teelin technically leally considered such is the substance of the laws and regulations governing the acquisition of public lands by individuals aa wo we understand them we trust this we compilation compi pi lation answers most of the questions addressed to us whereto we are enabled to giva give special replies cincinnati temes times the indianapolis Seti sett sentinel tinel linel publishes a list of twenty nine professional jurors who have become nuisances in the marion county court the judges here are the greatest nuisances A man who had read about converting Iv united states five nive twenties says he longs to be a missionary in that field and knows that he should cleave to his flock the department of public works in india has been considering a plan apian for dragging carriages up the himalayas by water power by lay the use of sander sons hydraulic propeller the speed promised Is nou not more than thaw five miles per pen hour but that lff iff sufficient ifor merchandise traffic on heavy grades |
