Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1896-02-22
The Santa Cruz Valley Lands.


| By request we publish the following
letter IN its entirely. To parties own
ing lands under ths act, the informa
tion is OF the almost Importance.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
GENBKAL LAND OFFICE.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. %, 1896. }
REGISTER AND RECEIVER,
| Tucson, Arizona.
GENTLEMEN:
By act of February 5, 1875 Us Stat.
3O5). the right and title OF the United
States to the land in sections 2, IL, IA
and E. q sections 3 10 and Is, Township
IA s, range 13 E., were "relinquished
and granted to the person or persons
who have been in the actual bona fide
occupancy or possession OF said land by
themselves or their ancestors or grant
ors for twenty years next preceding the
date of the passage of this act"
P.ovision was also made for the sub
mission of testimony in relation to such
claims, and for the survey OF the same,
and issuance of patents thereon.
Instructions as to the character Of
proof required in these cases were sent
to Florence Office, November "a, 1875,
and under date OF February |, 1876,
eiRhty-six claims appear to have been
filed in the local Office at Florence, Ari-
zona, accompanied by testimony in re-
lation to occupancy by each claimant
for period Of twenty years.
This proof being very unsatisfactory
was rejected. and under date OF Novem-
ber 26, 1877, full and explicit instruc-
tions we're sent to the Florence cffice as
to the character of proof required, and
under date of January 81, 1878, the local
officers at that point were directed to
notify each claimant accordingly.
The land covered by these claims after
wards came under the jurisdiction Of
your Office, and on February l, 1882,
your predecessors were furnished copie
of all letters written by this Office upon
the subject.
So far, bat one of said claims has been
No. 50. by Frank III. Bere-
ford, claimant under the "Estate of r.
Pacheco."
inclose list OF said claims, and you
will advise each OF said claimants, or his
successor in interest, that be will be al
lowed thirty days wRhln which TO sub
nit proof OF occupancy, citizenship, ETC.,
as follows:
1. Each of the claimants under the
provisions OF said act, who was in the
ac1ual, adverse, bona fide possession OF
his claim twenty years prior to Februa-
y 5, 1875, and had held the came con-
from that time to the date of
said act, will be required to make sfi-
1avit to that fact; stating therein the
character and origin of his claim, and
he m sterial facts relied upon to show
such possession, and the facts necessary
% show that he became citizeo of the |
Uuited States by virtue of the provisions |
II the treaty OF Guadalupe Hidalgo or
he Gsdsden treaty.
2. Where the party claims through |
IN ancestor or grantor. he must show /
continuous possession by such ancestor /
" grsntor, or his successor, for the |
,eriod of twenty years prior to the pass |
Ige of said act, and furnish any docu-
nentsry evidence OF title by transfer or
uccession that may be obtainable. He l
nust also show that some one under
vhom he claims became a citizen under 1
he provisions Of the treaties aforesaid.
8. Every material fact set forth in
he claimants affidavit, or necessary to
he validity of his claim, which is not
u ubstantlated by competent documen-
Rry evidence, must be corroborated by
be sffidsvits of two disinterested wit
esses having personal knowledge Of
be facts.
When such proof is fled and found
satisfactory to you, you will approve
be same and issue thereon Joint certi
cate of the form transmitted by my
4tter of November 4, 1895, mum bering
uch ertifcates &C nsecutively. As Mr..
Iereiord's Ger ificate is numbered one,
ne next number would be two.
The postoffice address of the claimsnts
not shown by the papers, but from the
,cation Of their claims, it probably is
ucson, Arizona.
/ am advised, however. by Hon. n. o
lurphy, delegate from Arizona, that
be whereabouts of each claimant may
robably be obtained from Samuel
hughes, Tucson, Arizona.
You will use every resource to serve
Office upon each claimant, or upon the
resent owner of each claim, and at the
roper time report the action taken in
ne premises.
Very respectfully.
E. F. BEST,
Assistant Commissioner.