The morning call., 1892-03-07
ARID LANDS.
Favorable Action Of the HouSe Committee
on LaRlam's Irrigation Bill.

WASHINGTON, March 6. - The House
Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation
Of Arid Lands has decided to report favor
ably on Represen ntative Lanham's irrigation
bill. 1t provides that, subject to all rights
inchoate or perfected thereto, and all lands
of whatever nature or description and rights
thereto, incl uding water rights now belong
ing or apperiaining to the United States
lying and being situated in the States of Neb-
raska, Nevada, South Dakota, North Dakota,
Montana, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming
Idaho. Colorado, Kansas and California.
and in the Territories OF New Mexico. Ar-
z0na, Oklahoma and Utah severaily, with
full aud complete jurisdiction thereover,
be and are hereby granted, ceded and con-
hrmed to said several States and Territories,
the grant to each OF said States and Terri
tories to he of lands contained within its
present boundaries and territorial limits, and
the President of the United States shall issue
letters patent for the same to said several
States and Territories in this section desig-
mated wherever and as any Of said States
and Territories shall, by an act Of its Legis-
lature, accept the disposition of lands a
herein provided within the time hereinafter
specified.
Lands Affected.
This act shall in no manner affect any o.
the lands held by the United st ties for
parks, naval, military ami other public pur-
poses, nor any Indian lands or lands held In
trust for or for use by Indians, nor mineral
lands, nor shall it ap ly in any manner TO
the Territory of Alaska.
Section 2 provides that the Governors of
the Territories of Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma
and New Mexico shall, within a reasonable
time after tue passaae of this act. call spe-
cial sessions if need be of their several Leg
lslatuTes TO take into consideration and pass
upon the provisions of this act and the ques-
tion herein submitted to them, and they
may from time to time call such other ses-
SONS OF their respective Legislatures as
may be deemed necessary. The benefits of
this act shall not accrne to any State or
Territory which shall not have accepted
the provisions thereof within four years
from its approval.
Section provides that as soon as practi-
cable after the Issuance Of letters patent to
any State or Territory herein mentioned
for lands therein situated. and from time
to time thereafter, as occasion NAV require,
Ii shall be the duty of the Secretary of the
Interior, at the expense of the United
States, to cause to be delivered to the
proper authorities of such State or Terri
tory all maps. records, books and papers, or
certified copies thereof, in case 1t may be
necessary to retain originals in the general
land office, which map be necessary to such
State or Territory for proper control, ad-
ministration and disposition of such lands.
Section 4 provides that no State or
Territory accepting the cession of
lands as therein provided shall in
any case sell, lease or dispose of said
lands in grs ater quantity than 160
acres TO any one person, corporation or asso-
citation; nor shall any such State or Ter ri
tory impair or abrldge the homestead pr v-
ileges now granted to soldiers and sailors
under the land laws of the United States.