An Act to provide for the abolition of the 80-rod reserved spaces between claims on shore waters in Alaska, and for other purposes
PL 84-213 (H.R.605), enacted 08/03/1955

444 
PUBLIC LAW 213-AUG. 3, 1955 
[69 S T A T . 
August 3, 1955 
[H. R. 605] 
Public Law 213 
CHAPTER 496 
AN ACT 
To provide for the abolition of the eighty-rod reserved spaces between claims 
on shore vpaters in Alaska, and for other purposes. 
Alaska. 
S h o re-
claims. 
R e s t o r ation of 
lands from reser^ 
vation. 
Conveyances. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 1 of the 
Act of May 14,1898 (30 Stat. 409), as amended by the Act of March 
3, 1903 (32 Stat. 1028; 48 U. S. C, 1952 edition, sec. 371), is amended 
by striking out the following language: '"''And provided further^ That 
no location of scrip, selection, or right along any navigable or other 
waters shall be made within the distance of eighty rods of any lands, 
along such waters, theretofore located by means of any such scrip or 
otherwise;", and "and along such shore a space of at least eighty rods 
shall be reserved from entry between all such claims;". 
SEC. 2. Section 10 of the Act of May 14, 1898 (30 Stat. 413; 48 
U. S. C, 1952 edition, sec. 462), is amended by striking out the follow-
ing language: ^''Provided further^ That there shall be reserved by the 
United States a space of eighty rods in width between tracts sold or 
entered under the provisions of this Act on lands abutting on any 
navigable stream, inlet, gulf, bay, or seashore, and that the Secretary of 
the Interior may grant the use of such reserve lands abutting on the 
waterfront to any citizen or association of citizens, or to any corpora-
tion incorporated under the law^s of the United States or under the 
laws of any State or Territory, for landings, and wharves, with the 
provision that the public shall have access to and proper use of such 
wharves, and landings, at reasonable rates of toll to be prescribed by 
said Secretary, and a roadw ay sixty feet in width, parallel to the shore 
line as near as may be practicable, shall be reserved for the use of the 
public as a highway:". 
SEC. 3. The Act of June 5, 1920 (41 Stat. 1059; 48 U. S. C, 1952 
edition, sec. 372), is amended by striking out the following language: 
"reserve from sale and entry a space of at least eighty rods in width 
between tracts sold or entered under the provisions thereof along the 
shore of any navigable water, and", and by also striking out the 
following language: "restore to entry and disposition such reserved 
spaces and may". 
SEC. 4. All lands restored from reservation by this Act shall be 
restored to all forms of appropriation under the public land laws 
applicable to the Territory of Alaska, but a restoration from reserva-
tion by this Act shall not be construed as a revocation of an order of 
withdrawal within the meaning of section 4 of the Act of September 27, 
1944 (58 Stat. 748), as amended (43 U. S. C, 1952 edition, sec. 282). 
SEC. 5. All conveyances of lands opened for sale, entry, or settlement 
under this Act shall be subject to (a) grants heretofore made by the 
Secretary of the Interior for the use of reserved lands abutting on 
the waterfront to any citizen or association of citizens, or to any 
corporation incorporated under the laws of the United States or under 
the laws of any State or Territorv, for landings, and w^harves, as pro-
vided by section 10 of the Act "of May 14, 1898 (30 Stat. 409; 48 
U. S. C, 1952 edition, sec. 462), with an easement for not more than 
a one hundred-foot right-of-way for an access road to such wharves 
and landings, and (b) reservations made by the Secretary of the 
Interior for the use of the natives of Alaska of tracts of land along 
the waterfront of any stream, inlet, bay, or seashore for landing places 
for canoes and other craft used by the natives, as provided by said 
section 10 (30 Stat. 409: 48 U. S. C, 195^ edition, sec. 464), together 
69 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 215-AUG. 3, 1955 
445 
with necessary right-of-way for access to such natives to such hmding 
places: Pro vided. That any such reserve or grant for use for landings, 
wharves, or landing places which are no longer being used may upon 
proper evidence of nonuse be revoked and abrogated and convey-
ances under this Act made free and clear thereof. 
Approved August 3, 1955. 
Public Law 214 
CHAPTER 497 
AN ACT 
To authorize an investigation and report on the advisability of a national 
monument in Brooklyn, New York. 
August 3, 1955 
[H. R. 473] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the Secretary 
of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to make an investiga-
tion and report thereon to the Congress within one year following 
the appropriation of funds to the Department of the Interior for the 
purposes of this Act, with respect to the advisability of establishing 
a national monument in Brooklyn, New York, in honor of two hundred 
and fifty-six Maryland heroes who fell in combat during the Battle of 
Brooklyn On the 27th day of August 1776. The report to the (Congress 
shall include information regarding the following: 
(1) National historical importance of such a memorial; 
(2) Nature of burial site, identity of exact site of burial, size and 
present-day conditions of site, including improvements thereon; 
(3) Complete cost for the establishment of such memorial; 
(4) Cost of maintenance of such a memorial and amount thereof 
that will be paid for by the city of New York and/or the State of 
New York; and 
(5) Eecommendations. 
Approved August 3, 1955. 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
monument. 
Report, etc., to 
Congress. 
Public Law 215 
CHAPTER 498 
AN ACT 
^,g,,, 3
^ ^„5 
To provide for the management and disposition of certain public domain lands —[H. R. 4001] 
in the State of Oklahoma. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the Secretary 
MaJf'^ement and 
of the Interior is authorized to provide, in accordance with the terms disposition o
f in-
of this Act, for the management and disposition of any interest of '^^^^ lands, 
the United States in those lands which were reconveyed to the United 
States by deeds of conveyance executed on November 29, 1950, by the 
principal chief of the Choctaw Nation and the governor of the 
Chickasaw Nation, or which have been, or may be, reconveyed to the 
United States by any further and supplemental conveyances made 
under the authority of the Interior Department Appropriation Act of 
June 28, 1944 (58 Stat. 463, 483), the joint resolution of June 24, 1948 
(62 Stat. 596), and the First Deficiency Appropriation Act of May 24, 
1949 (63 Stat. 76,84). 
SEC. 2. (a) The Secretary of the Interior, in order to facilitate the 
administration and management of the lands, to remove any clouds 
on the titles of any persons to interests in such lands, or to establish 
definite boundaries for such lands, may (1) sell any tract of the lands 
at public sale to the highest responsible bidder, or at private sale; or