BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL
GIVES REVIEW OF ALASKAN LAND LAWS
A review of land laws placed
into effect during the past few
years reveals' that recurring state
ments that land laws in Alaska
date back to the Civil War days
deserve a critical analysis, a Bur
eau of Land Management official
in Anchorage said this week.
Admittedly, changes for the
better always can be made and
some streamlining is advisable,
but generally most of the older
statutes have been modernized or
usable substitutes have been en
acted, he said. The principal thing^
to be said for the land iaws in op
eration in Alaska is that stress is
made on development—doing
something with the land, it was
pointed out.
Congress in 1954 raised the area
that may be held by one oil and
gas lessee in Alaska from 15,360
acres to 100,000 acres. The ren
tal per acre is 25 cents in Alaska,
compared with 50 cents in the
Continental United States. An
other new law provides that the
leasing of land for oil and gas
development does not prevent
the staking of mining claims on
the same land, if it is available
otherwise. National Forests and
Wild Life reservatons are subject
to oil and gas leases under certain
circumstances.
Provision was made by Con
gress this past year for non-pro
fit corporations, such as churches
and Boy Scouts of America, to
buy land for recreational and pub
lic purposes. This same act al
lows the Territory, municipalit
ies and other political subdivi
sions to buy land for those pur
poses, too. An applicant is limit
ed to the purchase of 640 acres
each year. The land must be used
for the purpose indicated or it
reverts to the United States.
The land acquisition law which
is most active in Alaska, the
Small Tract Act, was given a
beneficial change by Congress
this year. Heretofore, homesites,
cabin sites and business sites were
restricted to surveyed land under
this Act and as much less than
■mwmmmwmmw.
ss
one per cent of Alaska has been
surveyed, the law was restrictive.
The new law permits unsurveyed
land to be leased as small tracts
and sold to the lessee after sur
vey.
A careful reading of the last
two mentioned laws shows that
lands in some withdrawals can be
appropriated for recreational and
public purposes as well as for
small tracts.
One big change in the home
stead law was made. Korean vet
erans are eligible for all veteran
benefits but Congress decreed
that ex-service men of World War
II and Korea must cultivate one
eighth of the land as must all
other homesteaders. Again, this
puts more emphasis on actual
farming, which was the original
purpose of the law.
Reviewing a few laws in use in
Alaska—if a person wants to
farm, he applies under the Home
stead Law which, of course, is an
oldtime statute being extended to
Alaska in 1893- It’s been amend
ed numerous times ' but it still
requires a farmer to farm and
live on the land. It doesn’t pro
vide for someone else to do the
work or put up the money. A
weakness in the law, the BLM of
ficial said, is that it doesn’t pro
tect the inexperienced individual
from homesteading worthless
soil. Perhaps an amendment per
mitting homesteading only on
agricultural land is in, order.
If a person wants to go into
business, he has several acts to
use. The newest one is the Public
Sale Act enacted in 1949 and per
mits purchase of up to 160 acres
at public auction. The Small
Tract Act permits lease and then
purchase of one tract of five acres
or less at an appraised price. This
Act was passed in 1938 and ex
tended to Alaska several years
later. The Headquarters Site Act
passed n 1934 gives the right of
occupying any non-mineral, un
reserved public domain as a
headquarters or business and per
RALPH KIRCHER
GETS SCHOLARSHIP
Ralph O. Kircher, freshman
student, received a $210 Sears
Roebuck Scholarship from the
University of Alaska last week.
Kircher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jos
eph Kircher of Palmer is major
ing in civil engineering at the
University. He is a graduate of
the Palmer High School, class of
1954.
The scholarship was given for
high academic standing.
mits the patenting of an area of
five acres or less while the Trade
and Manufacturing Act, passed in
1898, is similar and permits up to
80 acres. The purchase price is
$2.50 per acre. Some are old and
I some are new but there are a var
iety of laws under which a busi
ness site may be obtained.
Editors note:
A continuation of this informa
tion released this week by the
Bureau of Land Management of
ficial, will appear in next week’s
issue of The Frontiersman.
PLANS FOR 1955
SCIENCE CONFERENCE
NOW UNDER WAY
Organization of the Sixth Alas
kan Science Conference is well
under way, Dr. Neil W. Hosley,
University of Alaska dean, and
president of the Alaska Division
of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, dis
closed today.
Dr. Hosley said organizing
chairmen for the six sections to
be presented at the meeting all
have been obtained. The confer
ence will be held at the Univer
sity June 1-4, 1955.
The Arctic Branch of AAAS
will handle the arrangements at
the university. The Alaska Divi
sion establishes the program.
Dr. Hosley said “In the sectioh
on agriculture and forestry the
chairman will be Arthur W. Gree
ley, regional forester of the U. S.
Forest Service. He is stationed at
Juneau”.
The biological sciences session
will be organized by Lt. Col. An
dres I. Karstens, commanding of
Hew Hours
AT
GQBB’S SAFE
BEGINNING MONDAY, JANUARY 3
OPEN 6 a.m. — 2 a.m.
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
CLOSED ON SUNDAY
Try Our Popular $1.00 Luncheons
AJso
Ceramic Broiled Steaks — Spaghetti
Chow Mein
COBB’S CAFE
King Building
Across from Elks Lodge
wPMmmmmmmmimwiwMmw mmmmm
ficer of the Aeromedical Labra
tory at Ladd air force base. Dr.
Hosley said the engineering sec
tion will be handled by A. F.
Ghiglione, commissioner of roads
for Alaska.
Brig. Gen. Earl Maxwell of the
office of the surgeon, Elmendorf
air force base, is organizing the
sessions on medicine and public
health. The physical science will
be handled by Charles T. Genaux,
assistant professor of chemistry at j
the university.
“Dr. Margaret Lantis, anthro
pologist of the U. S. Department J
of health, education and welfare, i
consented to organize the social j
sciences section,” Dr. Hosley said. I
He added that Dr. Lantis expects :
to be in Anchorage after Jan. 6, j
1955. i
Sparing Partners
By Bob Klem
[ have rubbed elbows and should
ers
With the Hatfields and McCoys
Watched the ice worms feud with
cutworms
And the sheep men with cow
boys
rho I’m wary with experience
I’m sometimes filled with glee
When I find that my beloved
Jessie likes to feud with me.
OWjlERglAL-PERSONAL
New Years Eve
at
Alpine Inn
Mile 61 — Glenn Highway
Phone 1-J-31
Hats - Horns - Hoisemakers - Music
Fan for all! — Ail for fen!
FREE - Tm and Jerry Pari/
Mm Years Day - 2 - 6 PM.
5*t
► r.*.
fc..
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We couldn’t help but remember to wish all of our friends
and patrons a Happy New Year
To each of you, we say thanks for your patronage, and we
hope we may continue serving you as in the past.
m
i
Wf%
) / 2