The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1877-04-07
DESERT LANDS,


Mr.. ]. f. Hallook has received tho fol-
lowing circular from the Commissioner
of the General Land Office, at Washing
ton, regarding the law providing for the
sale of desert lands:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
WASHINGTON, D. O., March IL, 1877. J
Register and Recsiver U. s. Land
Office Gentlemen:
The following is the text OF an Act OF
Congress approved March 3, 1877, and
entitled can Act to provide for the sale
of desert lands in certain States and
Territories
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives OF the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That
it shall be lawful for any citizen OF the
United States, or any person of requisite
age, "who may be entitled to become
citizen, and who has filed his declaration
to become such, and upon payment OF
twenty-five cents per acre, to file declar-
alton. under oath. with the Register and
the Receiver of the land district in which
any desert land is situated, that he in
tends to reclaim q tract of desert land,
not exceeding one section, by conducting
water upon the same within the period
of three years thereafter; provided, how
ever. that the right to the use of water
by the person 30 conducting the same on
or to any tract of desert land of six
hundred and forty acres shall depend
upon bona fids prior appropri alton; and
such right shall not exceed the amount
of water actually appropriated and neces-
sarily used for the purpose of irrigation
and reclamation; and all surplus water
over and above such actual appropria-
ton and use. together with the water oil
all lakes, rivers and other sources OF
water supply upon the public lands and
not navigable, shall remain and be held
free for the appropriation and use Of the
public for irrigation, mining, and manu-
featuring purposes subject to existing
rights. Said declaration shall describe
particularly said section of land If sur
veyed. and if unsurveyed shall describ,
the same as nearly as possible withou
a survey. At any time within the period
of three years after filing said declaration
upon making satisfactory proof to tn,
Register and Receiver of the reclama
ton OF said tract of land in the name
aforesaid, and upon the payment to tn
Receiver of the additional sum of on
dollar per acre for tract of land not ex
ceeding six hundred and forty acres t.
any one person, a patent for the sam
shall be issued to him; provided, that n
person shall be permitted to enter NOR
than one tract of land, and not to excee
, six hundred and forty acres, which sha
, be in compactiform.
, Sec. 2.-That all lands exclusive G
, timber lands and mineral lands whic
7 will not, without irrigation, produc
some agricultural crop, shall be deeme
r desert lands within the meaning of thi
Act, which fact shall be ascertained b
proof of two or more credible witnesse
D under oath, whose affidavlts shall be file
t in the land Office in which said tract (
D land may be situated.
Q Sec. 3. That this Act shall only 81
( ply to and take effect in the States
California, Oregon and Nevada, and Il
Territories Of Washington. Idaho, Mo-
tana, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Ne
g Mexico and Dakota. and the determin
4 ton OF what may be considered desc
land shall be subject to the decision ar
regulation of the Commissioner of Il
General Land Office.
i Parties who wish to avail themselv
of this law can ascertain the manner
|. procedure and requirements necessal
s by calling at the Land Office.
|