The Anaconda standard., 1895-03-07
HERE'S The WHOLE BILL
Text Of tha ACi to Protect the Mll-
eral Lands.
! HAD BEEN CHANGED
Amsnded BY Congress the Follow
ing Bill Was Signed BY the
President One Day
-~Ii This Week.

AA-NcAAD udS udu numerous inquiries as
TO the provisions and scope of the new
law, but as the original bill has been
amended in many particulars the exact
nature and extent of the law was uu-
known here until to-day, when Mineral
Land Commissioners Irwin received
printed copies of the bill as amended by
congress and signed by the president
The fall text of the bill is as follows:
(Anact to provide for the examination and
classihcation OF certain mineral lands in the
statesof Montana and Idaho.)
resentdtires OF the United States 0f America ul
Congress assembled. That the secretary OF the
INFERIOR be, and Is hereby, authorized and di-
iecled, as speedily as practicable. 10 cause all
lands within the land districts hereinafter
named in the states of Montana and Idaho
Mn ,sn6 cran, tne land. land grant and indemnity
cifc Railroad company, as defined by an act of
congress entitled IAN act granting lands to aid
IN Tue construction of railroad and telegraph
line from Lake superior to Puget sound, on the
lacliic coast, by tie northern route" approved
July z, ls6i, and acts supplemental to and
amendatory thereof, 10 be examined nd classi-
fled by commissioners to be appointed as here
matter provided, with special reference TO he
mineral or nonmineral character of such lands.
ana 10 REJECT cancel and dsallow any and all
claims or nlings heretofore made or which may
hereafter be made, by or on behalf of the said
Northern Pacific Railroad company on any
lands in said land districts which upon examina-
mineral lands. ~rA+N
Sec. 9. That for the Darpose of making the
examination herein provided for there shall be
appointed blythe president OF the United States
as soon as practicable after the passage OF this
act three commissioners for each of the follow
Ing land districts, to-wt: the BoZeman, Helena
and Missoula land districts, in the state of Mon
tana, and the Occur d'Alene land district in the
state OF idano, at least one of whom Tor each
district shall be practical miner and "a resident
OF such district; and said per Ions SO appointed
Tor each district shall constitute board of com
mlSSlOnHrS Cuah a frfa fha
duties herein prescribed. They shall each re-
celve Tor their compensation ten dollars for each
gay tnsy may De actually engaged In the per-
their transportation and subsistence expenses.
Dut The total amount of compensation to be paid
TO each commissioner annually shall in no case
exceed the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars;
and their accounts shall be audited by the sec
retary OF the interior and paid monthly. Before
entering upon their duties each of said commits
sloners shall take an oath to faithfully perform
the dulles OF his Office said commissioners shall
make examination OF the lands herein mem
TONED within their respective districts, and
may also take the testimony of witnesses as to
the mineral or nonmineral character of any of
SAID lands. and receive any other evidences re-
latlng TO said matter, and shall have power to
summon witnesses TO appear before them. and
to administer Oaths; and they shall. immedi-
ately upon their appointment, proceed to exam
Inc and classify the lands herein mentioned
within their respective. districts, as provided in
TINS ACT, and shall fully complete said classifca-
tion within the term OF four years from the date
OF this act. The oath of Office of said commits
sioners shall be filed by them in the office OF the
commissioner OF the general land office. All
testimony taken by said commissioners shall be
reduc ed to writing, subscribed by the witnesses
and tled with the report of the commissioners
hereinafter required. The action or decision of
a majority of said commissioners In each dis
tr I sllallcontTo in all matters herein provided
for. That the commissioners shall perform the
work OF examination and classification herein
directed according to such rules and regulations
as the secretary OF the einteTior shall prescribe.
Sec. 3. That all such Ian is shall be CLASSIFIED
as mineral which by reason OF valuable mineral |
deposits are open to exploration. occupation |
and purchase under the provisions Of the |
United States mining laws and the commission |
eTs in making the classification hereinafter pro-
vlded tor shall take into considera ion the min
eral discovered or developed on or adjacent to |
such land, and the geological formation of all |
lands TO be examined and classified, or the |
lands adjacent thereto, and the reasonable |
probabilities OF such land containing valuable |
character. The classification herein |
provided for shall be by each legal ublivision |
where the lands have been surveyed II the /
lands examined are not surveyed, classification |
shall Be made by tracts of such extent, and /
designated by such natural or artificial bound |
aries TO identify them, as the commissioners |
may determine. Where mining ocatlons have |
been heretofore made orpatents issued for min
ing ground in any section Of land. this shall be |
taken as prima fdc!e evidence that the 4O-acre
subdivision within which it Is located is min
frdl land: Provided, That the word mineral" |
where It occurs IN this act. shall not be he ID TO
include iron or coal; And provided further,
hereby authorized shall be made without refer
ance or rega! d to any previous examination or
report or classification thereof
sec. That such of he lands herein men
loned as have been Sury -yed PRIOR to The pass |
4 ge of this act shall be hrst examined aud ass
fled as herein provided, and afterwards and as |
speedily as practicable, the lands hsrein men
.Oned which have not been surveyed. until an
he lands herein mentioned shall have been eX-
amned and CLASSIFIED, as herein provided.
Sec ). That said commissioners SHALL on or |
before the nth day or each month, file IN the |
'ttice of the register and receiver OF the land
,f1ice OF the land district in which the land ex-
Imined and classified is situated a full report,
n duplicate, in such form the secretary of
he interior may prescribe, showing all lands eX-
Imined by them during the preceding month,
md specifying clearly by legal Subdivisions |
where the land Is surveyed, or otherwise by
IDENTIFY the same, the lands Classified by them
IS mineral lands and those classified as non
nlnera.; and with said report shall be filed all
taken and written communications
eceived by said commissioners relating 10 the
ands embraced IN the report. The register
md receiver shall fle one duplicate OF said re-
'ort IN their Office, together with all accom-
'anying testimony and papers, and the other
uplicate shall be by them forwarded direct to |
he secretary of the interior, and said commits
toner's snail furnish 10 the secretary of the in |
erlor az any time such further or additional re- |
ort or Information as he may require concern |
~ any mattefs relating To their duties or the
or the same Upon receipt of such |
eport the register OF the land o1ice shall al |
he expense OF the United states. cause 10 he |
Qplsneu ul&L newspaper OF general circulation | ,
. the county in which the land Is located. and
} one newspaper published at the ipital city !
the state in which the lands may be situated. |
least onee week for four consecutive weeks |
ot!ce OF the classification OF lands as shown by |
aid report. aud any person, corporation. or
ompany feeling aggrieved by such class silica
on may. at any time within co DAYS af.er the
rst publication of said notice. file with the
-giSter and receiver of the land Office a verified
rOtest against The acceptance OF said classif- |
ition which protest shall ser forth in concise
ngu ige the grounds OF objection 10 the cIassi-
ratiOn as TO the particular land la said protest
escribed, whereupOn hearing Shalt be |
rdered by. and conducted before, the said
sglster and receiver. under rules and reguia-
Ons as near as practicable IN conformity WITH
he rules and practice OF such land office in con
sts involving the mineral or nOnmineral char
ter OF the land in other cases; and an APPEAL
ON the decision OF the register and receiver
lall be allowed 10 the commissioner of the gen
al land 0f1ee and the secretary of the INTERIOR
ldeT such rules and regulations as the secre-
~ or the interior may prescribe: Provided.
hat az such hearings the United States shall
represented and defended by the UniteI
ates district attorney OF his assistants for the
diclal district In which the land i situated