New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-03
GENERAL NATURE-No. 1917

An act to provide Ter the sale of lands O
the United States containing coal
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o
Representatives Of the United States O.
America IN Congress assembled, That any
person above the age OF 1wenty-One years
who is a citizen OF the United States or
who has declared his intention to become
such, or any association OF persons sever
ally qualified as above, shall upon applca
ton to the register of the proper land otiice
have the right to enter. by legal subdi-
visions, any quantity OF vacant coal lands
OF the United States not otherwise apprO-
| pTlated 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.
| SEC. :. That any person or association
| OF persons severaliy qualified as above. who
have opened and improved, or shall here
| after open and improve, any coal mine or
| mines upon the public lands, and shall be in
! actual possession of the same, shall be en-
| titled to a preference right OF entry, under
| the foregoing provisions, of the mines so
| opened and improved: provided, that when
any association OF not less than four per.
sons, seyerally qualified as in section one
ct tLl1 act, shall have expended not less
than five thousand dollars in workin q and
improving any such mine or mines, such
ASSOCIATION may enter not exceeding six
hundred and forty acres. including such
mining improvements.
SEC. 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
commencement OF improvements on the
land, by the filing of a declaratory state
ment therefor: provided. that 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 provided fur
Their. that where the improvements shall
have been made prior to the exrira ton 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 !.
declaratory statement. and no sale uuder
the provisions of this act shall be allowed
until the expiration OF elk months from The
date hereof.
SEC. 4. That this act shall be he': %
authorize only one entry by the same per-
son or association OF persons under its
provisions and no association Of persons
benefit OF this act either as an individual or
as member of any other association, shall
enter or held any Other lands under the
provisions OF this act. and no member OF |
any association which shall have taken the |
benefit Of this act shail enter or hold any |
other lands under Its provisiOnse and all
persons claiming under section two hereof !
shall be required 20 Prove their respective !
rights and pay Tor th,. lands filed upon |
within enc year iro.n the time prescribed |
TOR filing their respective claims; and upon |
failure to file the proper notice, or to pay |
Tor the land within the required period, the |
same shall be subject to enTy by any other |
qualified applicant.
SEC. ). That in case of conflicting claims |
upon lands where the improvements shall |
oe hereafter commenced, priority of posses
sion and improvement, followed by proper
hing and continued good faith, shall de-
termlne the preference right to purchase.
And also where improvements have already
been made at the date of the passage Of |
his act, division Of the land claim
nay. be made by legal Subdivisions,
% include, as near az may be, the |
valuable Improvements of the respective
parties; and Commissioner of the General
4and Office shall be and is hereby author
zed to issue all ncedful rules and rpgula-
ions for carrying into effect the provisions
# this act.
SEC. e. That nothing in this act shall be
onstrued to destroy or impair any rights
which may have attached prior to its pass
ge, or to authorize the sale of lands valu-
be for mines of gold, silver OF copper.
Approved March 3, 1873.