, 1871-06-20
Circular.
DErAR1MExr oF rAE INrRRIoR,

General Land Office, May 5, 1871.
The following is an act approved July II, 1870,
to extend the provisions of the presumption laws
to the Territory Of Colorado, and for other purpO-
ses:
Be it enacted 5y the Senate and House Of Repre-
SeRtdtees Of the United States of AD1ei tea Con-
gress assembled, That the privileges Of the Act o;
May thirtieth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, en-
titled An act to reduce the expenses Of the sur
vey and sale of the public lands in the United
States" be, and the same are hereby, extended to
Colorado and the prosiso Of the first section of
the act of June second eighteen hundred and sixty
two, entitled " IN act to establish land Office in
the Territory Of Colorado and for other purposes"
is hereby repealed s'fa
Sec. 2. Alld be it ftrther enacted, That nothing
in the act approved March seven, eighteen hun
dred and ftyfour, entitled An act for the relief
Of settlers lands reserved for railroad purposes"
shall be construed to relieve such settlers from the
in other cases and all claimants of prc-emption
rights shall hereafter, when no shorter period of
time is now prescribed by law, make the proper
proof and payment for the lands claimed, within
eighteen months after ihe date prescribed for filing
their deelaratory notices shall have expired Pro-
rded, That where said date shall have elapsed be-
fore the passage of this act, said preemptors shall
have year after the passage hereof in which to
make such proof and payment.
This act has been amended as follows:
,r[REsoLUTloN oP GENERAL NATURE.-No. 2l.1
A resolution for the relief Of settlers on
le- the public lands. ..r
RssOIved BIZ the SenIte and HJttse Of Representa-
tires Ofthe United States of america IN Congress
assembled That settlers en- the public lands of the
United States who have been requi ed to make
preof and payment fol their lands under theact to
extend the provisions Of the preemption laws the
Territory ofColorado, and for other purposes, ap-
proved July fourteen, eighteen hundred and seven
ty and by instructions from the General Land Office
under date July thirty, eighteen hundred and sew
enty shall have twelve months additional time
given them under which to make such proof and
Approved March 3, 1871.
These statutes leave the provisions of the law as
heretofore respecting ohe-ed lands" viz fling
within thirty days, and payment within t,celre
months after settlement.
The settler on surveyed ''unohered land'' must
file his or her declaratOry statement within three
months from the date Of his or her settlement
such land and, within thirty moEtis from, the ezpi-
ration Of said three months make the proper proof
and pay for such land.
Where settlers had already filed before the pas
sage Of the act, they required to make proofand
payment within ttco tears from such passage;
therefore all filings mpde prior to that date will ex
pre by limitation of law, upon unOffered lands, on
the 18th of July, 1872.
The settler on 'tunsurveyed land" must file his or
her declaratory statement within three months from
the date Of the receipt the district land Office of
the approved plat Of the township embracing the
tract upon which he she has settled, and within
thirty DloTltIis from the expiration of Said three
months, make the proper proof, and pay for such
tract.
The proviso Of the act Of June 2, 1852, requiring
fling within six N onths from survey in the field
and providing for fling with the Surveyor General,
is repealed.
The restriction as to construction of the act of
March2 l85i is called to your especial attention.
In cases governed by these provisions you will
please conform your action thereto.
WILLIS DRUMMOND, Commissioner.