LAND LAWS APPLYING TO ALASKA. 31 



APPLICATION FOR A HOMESTEAD FOR SURVEYED LAND. 



To obtain a homestead the party should select and personally examine the 

 land and be satislied of its cliaracter and true description. 



He must file an api)liration, stating his true name, residence, and post-oftice 

 address, and describing the land he desires to enter, and make affidavit that he 

 is not the proprietor of more than 160 acres of land in any State or Teri'itory ; 

 that he is a citizen of the United States, or that he has filed his declaration of 

 intention to become such, and that he is the head of a fannly, or over 21 years 

 of age, as the case may be ; that his application is honestly and in good faith 

 made for the purpose of actual settlement and cultivation, and not for the bene- 

 fit of any other person, persons, or corporation, and that he will faithfully and 

 honestly endeavor to comply with all the requirements of law as to settlement, 

 residence, and cultivation necessary to acquire title to the land applied for ; 

 that he is not acting as agent of any person, corporation, or syndicate in making 

 such entry, nor in collusion with any person, corporation, or syndicate to give 

 them the benefit of the land entered, or any part thereof, or the timber thereon ; 

 that he does not apply to enter the same for the purpose of speculation, but in 

 good faith to obtain a home for himself, and tliat he has not, directly or in- 

 directly, made, and will not make, any agreement or contract in any manner 

 with any person or persons, corporation, or syndicate whatsoever, by which 

 the title which he might acquire from the Government of the United States 

 should inure, in whole or in part, to the benefit of any person except himself; 

 and, further, that since August 30, 1890, he has not acquired title to nor is he 

 claiming under any of the agricultural public-land laws an amount of land 

 which, together with tlie land lie is seeking to enter, will exceed in the aggre- 

 gate 320 acres, and that he has not theretofore had the benefit of the home- 

 stead laws, and must pay the legal fee and that part of the commissions which 

 is payable when entry is made, and furnish the usual nonmineral affidavit. 



On compliance by the party with the foregoing requirements the receiver will 

 issue his receipt for the fee and that part of the commissions paid, a duplicate 

 of which he will deliver to the party. The matter will then be entered in the 

 records of the district office and reported to the General Land Office. 



The applicant must in every case state in his application his place of actual 

 residence and his post-office address, in order that notices of proceedings rela- 

 tive to his entry may be sent him. The register and receiver will note the post- 

 office address on theiK tract books. 



INCEPTIVE RIGHTS OF HOMESTEAD SETTLERS. 



An inceptive right is vested in the settler by the proceedings hereinbefore 

 described. Fie must, within six months after making his entry, establish his 

 actual residence in a house upon the land, and must reside upon and cultivate 

 the land continuously in accordance with law for the term of five years. Occa- 

 sional visits to the land once in six months or oftener do not constitute resi- 

 dence. The homestead party must actually inhabit the land and make it the 

 home of himself and family, as well as improve and cultivate it. 



At the expiration of five years, or within two years thereafter, he may make 

 proof of his compliance with law by residence, improvement, and cultivation for 

 the full period required, and must show that the land has not been alienated 

 except as provided in section 2288, Revised Statutes (sec. 2291, Rev. Stat.), as 

 amended by section 3 of the act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat, L., 1095), 



