Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-17
GENERAL NATuRR-No. TO-. I
AN ACT to provide for the sale eft the land

AN ACT to provide for the sale Of the Lands
OF the United States containing coal.
Be IL enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentdtires Of the United States Of america IN Com
gress assembled, That any person above the age
OF twenty -one years, who is a citizen of the Uni
ted States, or who has declared his int ention to
become such, or any association of persons sew
orally qualified a. above, shall. upon applica-
ton to the register of the proper land-offce,
have the right to enter, by legal subdivisions
any quantity of vacant coal lands OF the United
States not otherwise appropriated or reserved
hy competent authority, not exceeding one hun
dred and sixty acres to such individual person,
or three hundred and twenty acres to such asso-
CITATION. upon payment to the receiver of not
less than ten dollars per acre for such lands,
where the same shall be situated more than If
teen 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.
SEC. 2. That any person or association of per-
sons severally qualified As above, 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 foregoing provisions
of the mines so opened and improved: Prorided,
That when any association of not less than four
persons severally qualified as in section one OF
this act shall have expended not less than i've
thousand dollars ia working and improving any
such mine or mines, such association may enter
not exceeding six hundred and forty acres in
GLIDING such mining improvements.
SIC. 3. That all claims under section two OF
this act must be presented to the register of the
proper land-district within sixty days after the
date OF actual possession and the commence
ment Of improvements on the land, by the
filing of declaratory statement therefor: Pro
rided, That when the township plat is not on q e
at the date OF such improvement, illng must
be made within sixty DAYS from the receipt of
such plat at the district Office: And DrOcided fur
ther. That where the improvements shall have
been made prier to the expiration of three
months from the passage of this act, sixty DAYS
from the expiration of said three months shall
be allowed for the filing of q declar story state
ment, and no sale under the provisions OF this
act shall be allowed until the expiration of six
months from the date hereof.
SEC. l. That this act shall be held 10 author
lie only one entry by the same person ssso-
citation OF persons under its provisions; and no
association of persons any member of which
shall have taken the benefit of this act either as
an Individual or As member of any other as
soclatlon, shall enter or hold any other lands
under the provisions of this act: and no msmb Der
of any association which shall have taken the
benent of this act shall enter or hold any other
lands under its provisions; and all persons
claiming under section two hereof shall be re-
quired TO prove their respective rights and paw
tor the lands filed upon within one year from
the time prescribed for hlIng their respective
tce, or TO pay for the land within the required
period, the same shall be subject to entry by
any other qualified applicant.
SEC. 5. That in case of conflicting clai ms upon
lands where the Improvements shall be hereaf-
ter commenced, priority OF possession and i'm
pIovement, followed by proper filing and con-
tinued good faith, shall determine the prefer
ence right to purchase. And also where i'm
provements have already bean made at the date
Of the passage of this act ,0lvision of the land
claimed may be made by legal subdivisions, to
include, as near as may be, the valuable i'm
proyements OF the respective parties and the
Commissioner of the General Land-Office shall
be, and is hereby, authorized to issue all need
full rules andregulatiOns for carrying into effect
the provisions of this act.
SEC. 6. That nothing in this act shall be con-
strued to destroy or impair any rights which
may have attached prior to its passage, or to
authorize the sale of lands valuable for mines
OF gold, silver, or copper.
Approved, March 3, 1873.