Homesteading Rules Tightened in Spokane
A federal ruling denies a homestead title, asserting that occasional visits to a claim are not enough to prove residency.
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Assistant Secretary of the Interior Chandler has decided that an occasional visit to a homestead is not sufficient to secure a title, reversing a previous decision by the land commissioner. In the case of Jno. G. Potter of the Spokane land district, the Assistant Secretary found that Potter maintained two residences, living primarily in Colfax while only spending a few nights since 1883 on the homestead entry. This was deemed insufficient evidence of 'good faith' to entitle him to the land.
“The assistant secretary finds that Potter maintained two residences... not sufficient evidence of good faith to entitle him to the land in question.”
This highlights the rigid, often punitive bureaucratic gatekeeping surrounding Western settlement. It mirrors contemporary debates about land use, residency requirements, and the definition of what constitutes a 'home' in a housing-constrained economy.
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