24.  If the town is incorporated, the entry may be made by the corporate authorities thereof through the mayor or other principal officer duly authorized so to do.  If the town is not incorporated, the entry may be made by the judge of the county court for the county in which said town is situated.  In either case the entry must be made in trust for the use and benefit of the occupants thereof according to their respective interests.  The execution of such trust as to the disposal of lots and the proceeds of sales is to be conducted under regulations prescribed by the territorial laws.  Acts of trustees not in accordance with such regulations are void. (See sections 2387 and 2391, U.S.  Revised Statutes.)

25.  The officer authorized to enter a town site may make entry at once, or he may initiate an entry by filing a declaratory statement of the purpose of the inhabitants to make a town-site entry of the land described.  The entry or declaratory statement shall include only such land as is actually occupied by the town and the title to which is in the United States, and its exterior limits must conform to the legal subdivisions of the public lands. (See sections 2388 and 2389, U.S.  Revised Statutes.)

26.  The amount of land that may be entered under this method is proportionate to the number of inhabitants.  One hundred and less than 200 inhabitants may enter not to exceed 320 acres; 200 and less than 1,000 inhabitants may enter not to exceed 640 acres; and where the inhabitants number 1,000 and over an amount not to exceed 1,280 acres may be entered, and for each additional 1,000 inhabitants, not to exceed 5,000 in all, a further amount of 320 acres may be allowed.  When the number of inhabitants of a town is less than 100, the town site shall be restricted to the land actually occupied for town purposes by legal subdivisions. (See section 2389, U.S.  Revised Statutes.)

27.  Where an entry is made of less than the maximum quantity of land allowed for town-site purposes, additional entries may be made of contiguous tracts occupied for town purposes which when added to the previous entry or entries will not exceed 2,560 acres; but no additional entry can be allowed which will make the total area exceed the area to which the town may be entitled by virtue of its population at date of additional entry. (See section 4 of the act of March 3, 1877, 19 U.S.  Statutes at Large, p. 392.)

28.  The land must be paid for at the Government price per acre, and proof must be furnished relating, first, to municipal occupation of the land; second, number of inhabitants; third, extent and value of town improvements; fourth, date when land was first used for town-site purposes; fifth, official character and authority of officer making entry; sixth, if an incorporated town, proof of incorporation, which should be a certified copy of the act of incorporation, and, seventh, that a majority of the occupants or owners of the lots within the town desire that such action be taken.  Thirty days’ publication of notice of intention to make proof must be made and proof of publication furnished.  (See section 2387, U.S.  Revised Statutes.)