Source: https://chestofbooks.com/real-estate/Real-Property-Interests-Law/Sec-423-Grants-by-the-United-States.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:14:43+00:00

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The territory ceded to the confederation by individual states, and that acquired by the present government from foreign powers, was, for the most part, free from any claims of ownership by individuals, and was therefore open to disposition by the government in such a way as seemed expedient. The land thus owned and controlled by the government, known as "public land," has been gradually disposed of to individuals and corporations by various methods, intended, and usually adapted, to aid in the settlement and industrial development of the country. The more important methods of disposition which have been adopted will be briefly described.
- Public sales. In the early period of the land system it was the custom to offer lands, as soon as surveyed, at public sale, in accordance with a proclamation by the president, and at a minimum price.2 This system of disposing of public lands gave room for much abuse and oppression, it often occurring that the land had been improved by actual settlers, who would be dispossessed by purchasers at these sales, and it gradually fell into disuse. It is now to some extent abolished by statute.3 The amount of land held under title thus acquired from the government is not large.
2. See Rev. St. U. S. Sec.Sec. 235.°., 9, 10; 1 Dembitz, Land Titles, p. 2357-2360. 620, note.
5. Frisbie v. Whitney, 9 Wall. (U. S.) 187, 19 L. Ed. 668; Yo-semite Valley Case, 15 Wall. (U. S.) 77, 21 L. Ed. 82.
6. Rev. St. U. S. Sec. 2203; Myers v. Craft, 13 Wall. (U. S.) 291, 20 L. Ed. 562.
7. Act March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 1097).
8. Rev. St. U S. Sec.Sec. 2289. 2302.
- Grants to states. Congress has, at various times and for divers purposes, granted parts of the land to states. Among the most important of these grants are those for educational purposes. Usually, section sixteen in every township, and sometimes also section thirty-two, has been granted to the state or territory for the support of schools; besides which, grants have been made for state universities, agricultural colleges, and similar purposes.
9. Rice v. Minnesota & N. W. R. Co., 1 Black (U. S.) 358, 360, 17 L. Ed. 147; Wolsey v. Chapman, 101 U. S. 755, 25 L. Ed. 915; Schulenberg v. Harriman, 21 Wall. (U. S.) 60, 22 L. Ed. 554.
Iowa Falls Town Lot & Land Co. v. Griffey, 143 U. S. 32, 36 L. Ed. 64.
11. Van Wyck v. Knevals, 106 U. S. 360, 27 L. Ed. 201; Sioux City & Iowa Falls Town Lot & Land Co. v. Griffey. 143 U. S. 32, 36 L. Ed. 64; Curtner v. United States, 149 U. S. 672, 37 L. Ed. 893; St. Paul & S. C. R. Co. v. Winona & St. P. R. Co., 112 U. S. 720, 28 L. Ed. 872.
- Mineral lands. Lands belonging to the United the ground, and in some states, by local requirements, by posting notice of the claim, and recording a certificate of the location.18 The extent of the claim is, in the case of a lode or vein, limited by the United States statute to fifteen hundred feet in the direction in which the lode or vein runs, and three hundred feet on each side of the vein; the boundaries running in the direction of the vein being known as "side" lines, and those running across the vein as "end" lines. The locator is entitled to any ore within the space marked by these surface lines extended downward vertically, and may follow the vein across his side lines, even though, in so doing, he takes ore from beneath the surface claim of another, but he cannot follow the vein across his end lines.
12. Act Sept. 8, 1841 (Rev. St. U. S. Sec. 2378).
13. Rev. St. U. S. Sec. 2479.
14. Rev. St. Sec.Sec. 2380-2389; 2 Copp, Pub. Land Laws (1890) 1010-1013.
15. Sparrow v. Strong, 3 Wall. (U. S.) 97, 18 L. Ed. 49; 1 Bar-ringer & Adams, Mines & Mining, 196.
16. The United States statutes on the subject are to be found in Rev. St. Sec.Sec. 2318, 2352.
17. Mr. Justice Field in United States v. Iron Silver Min. Co., 128 U. S. 673, 32 L. Ed. 571.
A placer claim or location is limited to one hundred and sixty acres in case the location is made by an association of not less than eight bona fide locators, and to twenty acres in the case of a location by an individual.

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