Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 185?-1859, 1856-10-25


tricts established by law, and to establish the
same from time to time atsuch p oint IN the
district as be may deem expedient,
Approved, March 3, 1858.
CHAP. 0XLV.-An act to prOyipe for the sur
vei Of the public lands in California, the
granting Of preemption right thereih, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Re-
in Congress assembled, That the Surveyor &C.
neral of the district Of the State Of California,
who is now or may hereafter be appointed by
the President, by and with the advice and cor
sent of the Senate, shall keep his Office at such
place as the President, in view of the public
convenience, shall from time to time direct; and
the Surveyor General, If he has not already
done so, and his successors in Office, before en-
te1lng upon duty, shall take and subscribe OF
oate or affirmation, before Judge of United
States court, or other competent officer, to sup.
port the Constitution Of the United States, and
faithfully discharge the duties Of his office, and
give bond in the same amount as other Surve.
yors General, the penalty thereof to be incrca.
sed whenever the Secretary of the Interior
shall deem proper. lie shall be entitled to re .
ceive salary at the rate of four thousand Eve
hundred dollars per annum, payable quarter
yearly, to commence from the Time Of entering
into bond.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, that there
shall be allowed for clerk hire in the Office Of the
Surveyor General the sum of eleven thousand
dollars per annum, o. so much thereof as may
be necessary; provided that the salary of no
clerk shall exceed the sum Of twenty five hun
dred dollars per annum, and for Office rent
fuel, and other Incidental expenses Of his office
such sums as shall be found necessary, by the
Secretary Of the Interior, not exceeding the sum
Of ten thousand dollars. Aud the Secretary of
the Interior is hereby authorized to cause on Of
hcial seal to be prepared for the Office OF the
SAID Surveyor General, and any copy Of or ex-
tracts from the plats, field notes, and other re.
cords and documents on file in his Office, when
atIested as such, by the said seal, and the sig.
nature of the Surveyor General, shall in all
Judicial matters, have the same force and ef.
iects as the originals
Sec. 3. And 6e it further enacted, That the
said surveyor general shall have the same po-
wer and authority, and perform the samy du.
ties respecting the public lands and private
claimsPin the State OF California, as by law ap-
pertain to and are required Of the Surveyor.
General in Louisiana, except so far as tho
same may be modified by this act. lie shall
engage sufficient number of skilful surveyors
as his deputies, whom he shall cause to survey
measure, and mark base and meridian lines
through such points, and porpetuated by such
monuments, and such other correction parallels
and meridans as may be prescribed, and also
tO survey and establish the other lines Of the
public lands. lie shall also cause all private
claims to be surveyed after they have bsen con.
hrmed, so FAR as may be necessary to complete
the surveys Of the public lands, and in the To-
cation and survey Of them he shall have tie
same power and authority as are conferred on
the land officers of Louisiana, by the sixth sec.
tion of the act Of third March, eighteen hun
DR. d and thirty one, creating tue office of the
Surveyor General, for that State, and for sur
veying the base and meridian lines, aud private
claims, and meandering nnyigablo waters, the
deputy Surveyor shall be allowed not exceeding
an average Of twelve dollars per Min, Provid
ded, that none other than township lines sha
} be surveyed when the lands are mineral or are
deemed unfit for cultivation, and no allowance
shall be made for such zines as are not actual.
ly run and marked in tho field, and were &c.
tually necessary to be rnn.
Sec. A. And be it further enacted, That IL
in the opinion Of the Secretary Of the Interior
it shall be advisable, he is hereby authorized tt
direct such surveys after what is known as th,
geodeto method. And whenever, in the opinion
. of the Secretary of the Interior, departur,
from the rectangular mode of surveying ant
subdividing the public lands would promote th
: public interests, he may direct such change Il
. be made in tho mode Of Surveying and desig
> mating the said lands as he may deem proper
) with reference to the existence Of mountains
| mineral deposits, and the advantages derive,
! from timber ,,and water privileges; Provided
q that such lands shall not be surveyed into les
4 than one hundred and sixty acres, or subdividc
/ into less than forty acress.
0 Sec 5. And be it further enacted, that ther
. shall be appointed by the President, by an
with the advice and consent of the Senats,
Q register of the land Office and receiver Of publ
moneys for tho State Of California, at sue
! time as, in his judgment, the public interes
may demand, with salary each Of three thou
| sand dollars per annum payable qunrter-yearl
. and the land Office shall be located atsuch rlao
as The Presidents in view Of the public conve
nience, shall from time TO time direc,, and PFC
0 viously to entering on the duties Of their Of
4 fees thew each ahal take and snhseriha al
0 oath or affirmation, before one Of the judge
/ Of the United States courts, or other compe
tent officer, to support the constitution Of tn
/. United States, and faithfully discharge the du
ties Of their respective Offices, and shall Civ
r bond in the same amount as other register
+. and receivers Of the public lind Offices, an
0 their general duties aud responsibilities sha
be the same as other officers Of ko character
, provided however, That Mt such time or time
i as in his Judgment tho public interest may $