Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-03-12
MILITARY RESERVATIONS.

The following bill, introduced in the
United States senate on the 14th of Feb |
rasry, is substitute for all special bills
relative to abandoned military reserva.
tions, including the Fort Randall bill.
II wss introduced by the committee on
military affairs:
Be 1t enacted By the Senate and House
Of Representatives ofthe United States of
america in Congress assembled, That
whenever. in the opinion of the president
of the United States, the lands, or spy
portion OF them, included within the
limits OF any military reservation hereto.
fore or hereafter declared, have become
or shall become useless for military pur.
purposes, be shall cause the same, or 20
much thereof as he msy designate, to be
placed under tho control of the secretary
OF the interior for disposition - herein.
after provided, and shall cause to be filed
with the secretary Of the interior notice
thereof.
2. That the secretary OF the interior
may, If in his opinion the public interests
90 require, cause the said lands, or any
part thereof, in such reservations to be
regularly surveyed, OF to be subdivided
into tracts of less than forty acres each,
and into town lots, or either, or both.
He shall cause the said lands 90 survey.
ed end subdivided. and each tract thereof
to be appraised BY three competsnt and
d!slntsreeted men to be appointed BY
him, and who shall. after having each
been FIRST duly sworn to impartially and
faithfully execute the trust reposed in
them. apPraise the said lands, subdivl.
NS0n0 and "a =
report their proceedings to the secretary
Of the interior Tor his action thereon. II
such appraisement be disapproved, the
secretary Of the interior shall again cause
the said lands to be appraised q before
provided; and when the appraisement
has been approved he shall cause the
said lands, Subdivisions, and lots TO be
sold at nublic sale, to the highest bidder
for cash, at not less than the Appraised
value thereof, nor less than one dollar
and twenty Eve cents per acre, first hov.
ing given not less than sixty days public
notice Of the time, place, and terms Of
sale, Immediately prior to such sale. by
publication IN at least two newspapers
having general circulation IN the coun.
try or section Of country where the lands
to be sold are situate; and any lsnds
subdivisions, or lots remaining unsold
may be reo6ered for sale at any sub.
eequent time. in the same manner, at the
discretion OF the secretary Of the interior
and ii not sold at such second offering fol
want of bidders, then the secretary OF the
interior may sell the Same at private sale,
tor cash, at not less than the appraised
value, nor less than one dollar and TWEEN,
|ty. five cents per acre: Provided, That
the said lands shall not be subject tc
location BY warrant or scrip Of any de
scnption, nor to tbs homestead, pre.emp
ton, or timber-culture laws Of the United
States: And provided further, That
any settler who was in actual occupation
OF any portion Of any such reservations
prior to the location Of such reservation
and has continued in such occupation &c
the present time, and il by Law entitled
to take homestead, shall be entitled e
locate under the homestead laws til,
the land 40 occupied. not exceeding on.
hundred and sixty acres in body, 40
cording to the government surveys enc
subdivisions.
Sec. 8. That tho secretary of the in
. terror shall cause any improvements
!, buildings building materials, and othe,
property which may be situate upon
any such lands, subdivisions, OF lots, t,
be appraised in the same manner - here
lnbefore provided for the appra,semep
OF such lands, subdivisions, and lots, AMI
shall cause the same. together with th
. tract or lot upon which they are situate
70 b sold at public sale, to the hiRhes
} bidder Tor cash. at not hess thau the ap
pfaise0 value Of such land and improve
ments, d1t giving the sixty days' motto
- hereinbefore provided; or, he may, i,
, his discretion, cause the Improvement
to be cold separately. at public sale, 10
ltcssh, ut not ieas than the appraised value
10 be removed BY the purchases vithil
J. snoh time - may be prescribed, Rrs
irving tho sixty days public notice be
loee provided; and il In any case th
hnde and Improvements, OF the impsovs
81 DsOts sspafately. - The oass msy b