Tombstone epitaph., 1888-03-24
LAND COURT BILL.
WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE A LAW.
The Measure Now Before Congress for the Set clement of Land Titles in the Territories of Arizona and New Mexico
 and the State of Col
 orado.

now before Congress for the establish. ment of land court for the settlement of private land claims in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado:
 Section I. Provides for the appoint ment of three justices and prescribes their duties and salary.
 Section ?. Divides the Court into three departments, and provides for the appointment of an attorney to represent the United States.
 Section 3. Requires the Commissioner of the General Land Office to transmit all documents in his possession bearing on cases in contest to the land court, and that said cases be submitted to the sever. al departments of the court, in such man. ner as the Chief Justice shall determine; also provides that in cases in which decisions have been rendered by the Commissioner, but which have rot been final, appeal can be taken to said court within sixty days after the passage of the act
 Section 4. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to transmit to the court all cases pending before him.
 Section 5. Cases shall take precedence iI regular order.
 Section 6 Makes the decision of a department Judge final where the amount does not exceed $2.ooo; if the amount exceeds that sum, appeal can be taken to the court in banc.
 Section 7. Provides that 1.-the amount involved exceeds 5000, appeal can be taken to the Supreme Court of the Uni ted States.
 Section 8. Requir the clerk of the court to transmit to the Commissioner of the General Land Office the record of the case when final decision is made. Section g. Gives the court jurisdiction of all cases which have not become final by the action of Congress or of the ex. ecutive or judicial departments; the court by one or more of it's members shall be in session at least six months of each year at Santa Fe, Tucson and Denver. until the business is completed.
 Section 10. Provides for publication of notices.
 Section IT. Requires every claimant to present his claim to said court within two years also a petition setting forth the facts upon which he relies in support of the same. Evidence taken before surveyors-general shall be competent evidence, with such weight as the court shall deem it entitled to, having in view the manner and circumstances under which It was originally taken; oral testi. mony and dispositions shall also be re- oeived.
 Section Te. That any person, corpor- atlon, or association claiming an adverse title or right under the United States or otherwise to anypart ofthe land so claim. ed, or any portion there of, otherwise than by the lease or permission of the claimant, shall have the right to inter vene asa party in the cause or proceeding in said coart, at any time before decision has been rendered, and upon notice to the cla'man, or his attorney, to submi, evidence contesting, in whole or in part, the right of the claimant or the existence or validity of the alleged grant or claim, which evidence shall be considered by the cour. in making its decision.
 Section B. That after the evidence Tn any case so presented IS completed. the court shall proceed promptly to ex. anime same, with such arguments as may be presented, and thereupon to determine as to the validity, in whole or in part Of the claim In arriv ng at such determination the court sha,l be govern ed by the provisions of the treaty appli- cable to such clam, the law of nations, the laws of the government from which the clam IS derived, the principles of equity, and the decisions of te Supreme Court of the Uni,ed States so far as the, are applicable. The said court shall not in any case confirm a CIaim for a greater quantity of land than was orlglnally granted, or for greater quantity than was authorized to be granted by the laws of the government under which the claim had inception. And in confirming any such claim, m whoe or in part, the court shall in its decree specify plainly the location, boundaries, and probable area of the land the clam 10 which is so confirmed. When, however, the descrip. ton of the land in any such grant or con. cession shall require the location to be a'cerl aimed by mountain ranges, noun. tain tops, forests, and like natural objects whereby or by any description thereof, the quantity of land in any such grant or concession is uncertain, or too vague for location, said court shall declare and ddjudge such grant or concession void and of no force, by reason of such indefi. nite description, except as to the quan- tity of land in such grant or concession m the actual possession of the grantee, or his assigns, or legal representatives, at