The 'public domain' was, and is, the landed estate of the American people. Originally it included practically all the land west of the Mississippi River except Texas. It also included the area west and north of the Ohio River and the area south and west of Tennessee and Georgia. With the passage of time most of this land was transferred to private ownership by means of various homestead acts, grants to railroads, and other disposal methods. This transfer to private owners was not accomplished without some complications -- especially in the eleven western states. Part of this difficulty was caused by the arid condition which prevailed over much of the territory west of the one hundredth meridian. In many instances, land itself was worthless unless that land contained a creek, spring, or other source of water. Squabbles over water, and indirectly land, were responsible for most of the range wars and the 'romantic' legend of the gun-toting cowboy--Introduction.