Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-30
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

lands:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, J
GENERAL LAND OFFICE, :
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March II, 1877. J
Register and Receiver U. S. Land
Ofice-Gentlemen:
The following is the text of an act OF
Congress approved March 3, 1877, and
entitled IAN 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 assem-
bled, That it shall be lawful for any
citizen of the United States, or any
person of requisite age "who may be
entitled to become a citizen, and who
has filed his declaration to become
SUCH" and upon payment of twenty
five cents per acre, to file a declaration,
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 n section, by conduct
ing water upon the same within the
period of three years thereafter; pro-
vided, however, that the right to the
use of water by the person so con-
Quoting the same on or TO any tract of
desert land of six hundred and forty
acres shall depend upon bona fde
prior appropriation; and such right
shall not exceed the amount of water
actually appropriated and necessarily
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
of 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 manufacturing purposes subject
to existing rights. Said declaration
shall describe particularly said section
of land if surveyed, and if unsurveyed
shall describe the same as nearly as
possible without a survey. AT any
time within the period of three years
after filing said declaration, upon
making satisfactory proof to the Reg
lister and Receiver of the reclamation
of said tract of land in the
aforesaid, and upou the payment to
the Receiver of the additional SUN of
one dollar per acre for a tract of land
not exceeding six hundred and forty
acres to any n person, a patent for
the same shall he issued 10 him; pro-
vided, that no person shall be permit
ted to enter more than one tract of
land, and not to exceed six hundred
and forty acres, which shall be in COM
pact form.
SEC. 2. That all lands exclusive of
timber lands and mineral lands which
will not, without irrigation, produce
some agricultural crop, shall be deemed
desert lands within the meaning of
this act, which fact shall be ascertained
by proof OF we or more credible wit
nesses under oath, whose affidavits
shall be filed in the land office in which
said tract of land may be situated.
SEC. 8. That this act shall only apply
to and take effect in the States of Cali
fornia, Oregon and Nevada, and the
Territories of Washington, Idaho,
Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona,
New Mexico and Dakota, and the de-
termination of what may be considered
desert land shall be subject to the de-
cision and regulation of the Commits
sioner of the General Land Office.
Parties who wish to avail themselves
of this law can ascertain the manner of
procedure and requirements necessary
by calling on Mr.. Read.