Daily Mississippi clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-07-06
LAWS OF The UNITED STATES,
Passed at the first session Of the
Thirty ninth Congress.
IOFFICIAL.
GPUBLIC-NO. 60. ]

AN ACT authorizing documentary evidence
of titles to be furnished to the owners of
certain lands in the city of St. Louis.
Whereas within the city of Saint Louis, in
the State of Missouri. there are many lots,
tracts, pieces, and parcels of lands which
were confirmed by the act of Congress of
June the thirteenth, eighteen hundred and
twelve, on the ground of inhabitation, pos
session, or cultivation of the same, prior to
December the twentieth, eighteen hundred
and three, and in some cases there is no ade-
quate documentary evidence of said con-
trmations; and in consequence of the death
of the ancient witnesses, who knew the facts
of said inhabitatiOn, possession, or cultiva-
ton, the owners of said lands, in said cases
where there is no adequate documentary evil
dence of said combinations, are without
complete evidence of title to the same, as
against the United States; and whereas per-
sons holding grants and combinations of
lands in said city of Saint Louis, under other
acts of Congress heretofore passed, may, In
some cases, be without perfect documentary
evidence of said grants or combinations by
the United States, and difficulties may here
after arise therefrom, to the great injury of
such persons Therefore
BE IL enacted by the Senate and House Of Rep
resentdtires of the, United States Of 4meIicq IN
| CODgyess assembled, That the district court of
tho United States for the eastern district of
Missouri, is hereby authorized, by proper de-
cree, to declare released, granted, relinquish-
ed, and conveyed by the United States, in fee
simple and in full property, all the right, tt
! tie and interest of the United States in and
to any lot, tract, piece or parcel of land
within the city of Saint Louis, in the State
of Missouri, to the person or persons having
| the best claim or claims to the same but
nothing in this act shall authorize said
court to declare released, granted, relin:
| quished, and conveyed as aforesaid, any land
within any wharf, street, lane, avenue, alley
or other public thoroughfare, or within the
boundaries of any land which has been here
tofore granted or assigned by the United
States for the use or support OF schools, OF
! within the boundaries of any land heretofore
lawfully confirmed or lawfully granted by
the United States, where full, sufficient, and
complete documentary evidence OF such con-
firmation of grant now exists of record.
SEC. 2. Ind be it further enacted, That
every person desiring decree in his or her
favor, under this act, shall file petition in
said district court, asking for such decree
and describing the land for which said decree
| is desired and the United States and all per
sons claiming such land adversely to said pc
! titioner (if there be any such adverse claim
| ants) shall be made defendants in said cause
and if any party to any such cause shall be
| a minor under the age of twenty-one years
Il "a
| said court for said minor; and said district
| court shall have full and complete power,
| jurisdiction, and authority to hear, try and
| determine all questions arising in said cause
| relating to the claim of the petitioner, the
extent, locality, and boundaries of said
claim and all other matters connected there
with or concerning the same; and said
district court shall also have power to make
prescribe, and enforce such rules and regu
1 LOTT ha and nr0naT
| carry this act into full and complete execu'
| ton.
SEC. 3. Ind be it further enacted, That q
copy of every petition which shall be filed
under this act, and a copy of the writ or pro
| cess thereto attached, shall be delivered to
| the district attorney of the United States fol
| said eastern district of Missouri, by the Uni
| ted States marshal for said district, which
| said delivery shall make the United States a
| party to the cause specified in such petition
| without any other or further proceedings
| notice, service, writ or process whatever; and
| said district attorney shall make such defence
| therein for the United States as in his opin
ion the public interest mag require; but nc
answer or other pleadiugs filed by said at
torney in such cause shall be required to be
| verified by oath or affirmation.
| Sec. 4, And be it further enacted, That foI
the purpose Of more completely describing
| identifying, and defining the boundaries, sit
uation and locality of any lot, tract, piece OF
| parcel of land sought to be released, grant
| ed, relinquished and conveyed under this act
| the said district court shall have power to
cause an accurate survey, plat, and descrip-
| ton thereof to be made by a competent per
son at the expense of the petitioner; and all
| of the expenses and costs of all suits and
other proeeedingsIlunder this act shall be
| paid by the respective petitioners, and the
payment thereof may be enforced by execu.
ton or otherwise.
| SEC 5. And be It faitker enacted, That
every decree which shall be rendered under
this act in favor of any petitioner shall be
4 deemed full, sufficient and complete re-
lease, grant, REIMBURSEMENT and conveyance,
in fee simple and in full property, to such
petitioner, and to his or her heirs and assigns,
forever, of all the right, title, and interest OF
| the United States in and to the land de
scribed in such decree.
SEC. g. And be II fWtber enacted. That
| whenever said district court or the circuit
court shall render final decree nnder this
act, concerning any lot, tract, piece or parcel
| of land said court shall cause to be trans
mitted to the Commissioner of the General
Land Office full, true, and complete tran
| script of said final decree, and of the descrip
ton or survey of said land. s,-str
SEC. z. And be 1t further enacted That any
party to any final decree rendered by said
| district court IN any suit or cause COM
menced under this act may appeal from said
final decree of said district court to the cir
cult court of the United States for the dis
trict of Missouri, at any time within one yeaI
| from the time of the rendition of said final
decree, and not after that time; and on the
granting of said appeal, a full, true, and com.
plete transcript of said final decree, ann OF
the. petition, and all other pleadings anddro-
ceedings in said cause, and of the evidence
therein, shalt be transmitted to said cicuit
court. And when said appeal shall have
been completed, said circuit court shall have
full and complete Jurisdiction over said
cause, and may allow the pleadings to be
amended if necessary, and may admit new
parties if necessary, and shall hear, try, and
determine said cause de novo, without re
garding any error, defect, or other imperfec-
ton in the proceedings of said district court,
and shall Render such final degree therein as
the facts end the justice of said cause may
require.
SEC. g. AID be Il further enacted, That in
case of any difference of opinion between