official use. copies, fifteen cents for each sheet; and for tracings or blue prints the cost of the production thereof to be deter- Verification. mined by the officer furnishing such copies, and in addition to these fees the sum of twenty-five cents shall be charged for each certificate of verification and the seal attached to authenticated copies: Provided, That there No charge for shall be no charge for the making or verification of copies required for official use by the officers of any branch of the Government: Provided further, That only a charge of Authenticated twenty-five cents shall be made for furnishing authenti- rules, etc. cated copies of any rules, regulations, or instructions printed by the Government for gratuitous distribution. copies of printed records. SEC. 2. That nothing in this act shall be construed to Inspection limit or restrict in any manner the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe such rules and regulations as he may deem proper governing the inspection of the records of said department and its various bureaus by the general public, and any person having any particular interest in any of such records may be permitted, to take copies of such records under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior. evidence. SEC. 3. That all authenticated copies furnished under Acceptance this act shall be admitted in evidence equally with the originals thereof. SEC. 4. That all officers who furnish authenticated use of seal. copies under this act shall attest their authentication by the use of an official seal, which is hereby authorized for that purpose. * * * * of of SEC. 6. That all sums received under the provisions of Deposit of rethis act shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of ceipts. miscellaneous receipts. Approved, August 24, 1912 (37 Stat., 497). Entry of coal lands. S., 607. COAL LANDS. For surface entry, selection, etc., of coal lands, see "Homesteads." Revised Statutes.-Secs. 2347-2352-Entry of coal lands-Limits of · area—Price—Preemptions-One entry-Priority of rights. UNITED STATES REVISED STATUTES. SEC. 2347. Every person above the age of twenty-one Mar. 3, 1873, 17 years, who is a citizen of the United States, or who has declared his intention to become such, or any association of persons severally qualified as above, shall, upon application to the register of the proper land office, have the right to enter, by legal subdivisions, any quantity of vacant coal lands of the United States not otherwise appropriated or reserved by competent authority not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres to such individual person, or three hundred and twenty acres to such association, upon payment to the receiver of not less than ten dollars per acre for such lands where the same shall be situated more than fifteen miles from any completed railroad, and not less than twenty dollars per acre for such lands as shall be within fifteen miles of such road. Preemption of coal lands. Ibid. Preemption claims of coal land to be presented within sixty days, etc. Ibid. SEC. 2348. Any person or association of persons severally qualified, as above provided, who have opened and improved, or shall hereafter open and improve, any coal mine or mines upon the public lands, and shall be in actual possession of the same, shall be entitled to a preference right of entry, under the preceding section, of the mines so opened and improved: Provided, That when any association of not less than four persons, severally qualified as above provided, shall have expended not less than five thousand dollars in working and improving any such mine or mines, such association may enter not exceeding six hundred and forty acres, including such mining improvements. SEC. 2349. All claims under the preceding section must be presented to the register of the proper land district within sixty days after the date of actual possession and the commencement of improvements on the land, by the filing of a declaratory statement therefor; but when the township plat is not on file at the date of such improvement, filing must be made within sixty days from the receipt of such plat at the district office; and where the improvements shall have been made prior to the expiration of three months from the third day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, sixty days from the expiration of such three months shall be allowed for the filing of a declaratory statement, and no sale under the provisions of this section shall be allowed until the expiration of six months from the third day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-three. allowed. SEC. 2350. The three preceding sections shall be held only one entry to authorize only one entry by the same person or asso- Ibid. ciation of persons; and no association of persons any member of which shall have taken the benefit of such sections, either as an individual or as a member of any other association, shall enter or hold any other lands under the provisions thereof; and no member of any association which shall have taken the benefit of such sections shall enter or hold any other lands under their provisions; and all persons claiming under section twenty-three hundred and forty-eight shall be required to prove their respective rights and pay for the lands filed upon within one year from the time prescribed for filing their respective claims; and upon failure to file the proper notice, or to pay for the land within the required period, the same shall be subject to entry by any other qualified applicant. claim. Ibid. SEC. 2351. In case of conflicting claims upon coal-lands Conflicting where the improvements shall be commenced, after the third day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, priority of possession and improvement, followed by proper filing and continued good faith, shall determine the preference-right to purchase. And also where improvements have already been made prior to the third day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, division of the land claimed may be made by legal subdivisions, to include, as near as may be, the valuable improvements of the respective parties. The Commissioner of the General Land Office is authorized to issue all needful rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of this and the four preceding sections. Ibid. SEC. 2352. Nothing in the five preceding sections shall Rights reserved. be construed to destroy or impair any rights which may have attached prior to the third day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, or to authorize the sale of lands valuable for mines of gold, silver, or copper. of the General 2 COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE. Bevised Statutes.-Secs. 446, 453, 455, 456, and 2478-Appointment, salary, and duties. UNITED STATES REVISED STATUTES. Commissioner SEC. 446. There shall be in the Department of the Land Office. Interior a Commissioner of the General Land-Office, who tat 717; 134, shall be appointed by the President, by and with the 1836, 5 Stat. 107; advice and consent of the Senate, and shall be entitled Stat., 508. to a salary of four thousand dollars a year. (Now Stat., July 4, Mar. 3, 1873, 17 Duties of Commissioner. Stat., 716; July 4, Stat., 62; Feb. 18, $5,000.) * * * * SEC. 453. The Commissioner of the General LandApr. 25, 1812, 2 Office shall perform, under the direction of the Secretary 1836, 5 Stat., 107; of the Interior, all executive duties appertaining to the June 6, 1874, 18 surveying and sale of the public lands of the United 1875, 18 Stat., 317. States, or in anywise respecting such public lands, and, also, such as relate to private claims of land, and the issuing of patents for all grants of land under the authority of the Government. Plats of lands surveyed. Stat., 717. * * * SEC. 455. The Commissioner of the General Land Apr. 25, 1812, 2 Office shall, when required by the President or either House of Congress, make a plat of any land surveyed under the authority of the United States, and give such information respecting the public lands and concerning the business of his office as shall be directed. Returns rela tive to lands. Apr. 25, 1812, 4 Stat., 717; July 31, 1894, 28 Stat. 207. Power of Com missioner of Land this title. SEC. 456. All returns relative to the public lands shall be made to the Commissioner of the General Land Office. * * * * * SEC. 2478. The Commissioner of the General Land Office to enforce Office, under the direction of the Secretary of the InteJuly 26, 1866, 14 rior, is authorized to enforce and carry into execution, by appropriate regulations, every part of the provisions of this Title not otherwise specially provided for. Stat., 253. 60 DESERT LANDS. For desert-land entries on lands containing coal, oil, phosphate, Page. 87,90 254, 263, 266 Act of March 3, 1877 (19 Stat., 377)-Entry-Payment of 25 cents per acre- -Appropriation of water-Additional payment of $1 per acre-Desert lands defined......... Act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat., 1096)-Map showing plan of irrigation-Expenditure of $1 per acre per year for three years for irrigation and improvement-Annual proof-Forfeiture-Cultivation of one-eighth of land-Payment-Final proof within four years-Limit of 320 acres.. Act of March 28, 1908 (35 Stat., 52)-Restricted to surveyed lands-Preference right prior to survey-Assignees must be qualified to make entry-Extension of time within which to make proof... Act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 867)-Certain assignments may be completed-Bona fide holders of second entries confirmedApplies to Imperial County, Cal., only. Act of April 30, 1912 (37 Stat., 106)-Extension of time for final proof.. Act of September 5, 1914 (38 Stat., 712)-Second desert-land entries... Act of March 4, 1915 (38 Stat., 1161)-Extension of time for final proof on entries prior to July 1, 1914-May, in certain cases, complete as homesteads, or may complete on making certain payments and proof as to improvements..... An Act To provide for the sale of desert lands in certain States and Territories. may be land pur Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives Desert of the United States of America in Congress assembled, chased. That it shall be lawful for any citizen of the United States, or any person of requisite age "who may be entitled to become a citizen, and who has filed his declaration to become such" and upon payment of twenty-five cents per acre-to file a declaration under oath with the Declaration. register and the receiver of the land district in which any desert land is situated, that he intends to reclaim a tract of desert land not exceeding one section,' by conducting water upon the same, within the period of three years thereafter: Provided, however, That the right to the use of water by the person so conducting the same, on or to any tract of desert land of six hundred and forty acres shall depend upon bona fide prior appropriation; and such Limited to 320 acres by act of Mar. 3, 1891. Time extended to four years by act of Mar. 3, 1891. 2 Right water. to use 61 |