There are over 40,000,000 acres of the best Government lands in America located in the extremely fertile regions of Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Northern Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, and traversed by the Northern Pacific Railroad, open for occupancy by actual settlers. The laws of the United States provide that citizens of the United States, or persons who have declared their intention to become such, can obtain lands as follows:
Pre-emptions.
Heads of families, widows or single persons (male or female) over the age of twenty-one years, who are citizens of the United States, or who have declared their intention to become such under the naturalization laws, may enter upon any "offered" or "unoffered" lands belonging to the United States, or any unsurveyed lands to which the Indian title has been extinguished, outside of the limits of any land grant, and purchase not exceeding 160 acres under the pre-emption laws. If the tract is "offered" land, the settler must file his "declaratory statement" in the United States District Land Office within thirty days after making settlement; and within one year from the date of settlement he must make proof of actual residence on and cultivation of the land, and thereupon purchase the same at $1.25 per acre, if outside of the limits of a railroad land grant, and at $2.50 per acre if within railroad land grant limits. If the tract is "unoffered" land, the settler must file his "declaratory statement" within three months from the date of settlement, and make final proof and payment within thirty-three months from the date of settlement. If the tract is unsurveyed land, the declaratory statement must be filed within three months after the approved plat of the township is received at the United States District Land Office, and final proof and payment must be made within thirty months after the expiration of the said three months. A pre-emptor may submit proofs of continuous residence at any time after six months from the date of settlement, and obtain title to his land. The settler in possession of a valid pre-emption claim may, at any time, convert his pre-emption claim into a homestead. No person who abandons his residence upon land of his own (not a town lot) to reside upon public lands in the same state or territory, or who owns 320 acres of land in any state or territory, is entitled to the benefits of the pre-emption laws.
Homesteads.
Any person who is the head of a family, or who has arrived at the age of twenty-one years, and is a citizen of the United States, or has filed his declaration of intention to become such, is entitled to enter one-quarter section, or less quantity of unappropriated public land, under the homestead laws. The applicant must make affidavit that he is entitled to the privileges of the homestead act, and that the entry is made for his exclusive use and benefit, and for actual settlement and cultivation, and must pay the legal fee and that part of the commissions required as follows: Fee for 160 acres, $10; commission, $4 to $12; fee for eighty acres, $5; commission, $2 to $6. Within six months from the date of entry, the settler must take up his residence upon the land, and reside thereupon and cultivate the same for five years continuously. At the expiration of this period, or within two years thereafter, proof of residence and cultivation must be established by four witnesses. The proof of settlement with the certificate of the Registrar of the Land Office is forwarded to the General Land Office at Washington, from which patent is issued. Final proof cannot be made until the expiration of five years from date of entry, and must be made within seven years. The Government recognizes no sale of a homestead claim. A homestead settler may at any time purchase the land under the pre-emption laws if desired, upon making proof of settlement and cultivation for a period of not less than six months from the date of entry to the time of purchase. The law allows only one homestead privilege to any one person.
Timber Culture Claims.
Under the timber culture laws, public lands naturally devoid of timber may be acquired by planting trees thereon, and keeping the same in a healthy, growing condition for eight years. Not more than 160 acres in any one section can be entered, and no person can enter more than 160 acres or make more than one entry under these laws. An applicant must be the head of a family or twenty-one years of age, and a citizen of the United States, or he must have filed his declaration of intention to become a citizen, as required by the naturalization laws. The Land Office fee for an entry of more than 80 acres is $14; and for 80 acres or less, $9; and $4 when final proof is made. Land to be entered must be entirely devoid of timber. In order to acquire 160 acres of land, 10 acres must be cultivated and planted with trees; 5 acres must be cultivated and planted with trees to acquire any legal subdivision of 80 acres; and 2½ acres to acquire any legal subdivision of 40 acres or less. The person making entry of 160 acres is required to break or plough five acres during the first year, and five acres during the second year. The five acres broken or ploughed during the first year must be cultivated to crop or otherwise during the second year, and be planted to timber during the third year. The five acres broken or ploughed the second year must be cultivated the third year, and planted to timber the fourth year. For entries of less than 160 acres, a proportionate number of acres must be ploughed, planted, cultivated and planted to trees. These trees must be cultivated and protected for not less than eight years; and at the expiration of that period, or within five years thereafter, proof must be made by the claimant and two credible witnesses, showing that there were at the time of making such proof at least 675 living, thrifty trees on each of the ten acres required to be planted; also that not less than 2,700 trees were planted on each of the ten acres. Fruit-trees are not considered timber, within the meaning of this act. Title cannot be obtained prior to the expiration of eight years, and final proof must be made within five years after the expiration of the said eight years.
Desert Land.
Any person who is a citizen of the United States, or any person of requisite age who may be entitled to become a citizen, and who has filed his declaration to become such, may file his oath with the Registrar and Receiver of the Land Office in the district in which any desert land is located, that he intends to reclaim, not exceeding one section of said land, by conducting water upon it, within three years; and by paying to the Receiver twenty-five cents, per acre for all the land claimed, such person may enter said land under the desert land act. At any time within three years a patent can be obtained by making proof that he has reclaimed said land, and paying the additional sum of $1 per acre. No person can enter more than one tract of land, and not to exceed 640 acres, which shall be in a compact form. This act applies to desert lands in Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
Desert lands are defined by this act to be all lands, exclusive of mineral and timber lands, which will not without irrigation produce some agricultural crop.