Chapter 227. relating to the public lands of the United States
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CHAP. 227.— An Act relating to the public lands of the United States.June 15, 1880. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Public lands.Entry and payment of price to estop suit for trespass. That when any lands of the United States shall have been entered and the Government price paid therefor in full no criminal suit or proceeding by or in the name of the United States shall thereafter be had or further maintained for any trespasses upon or for or on account of any material taken from said lands and no civil suit or proceeding shall be had or further maintained for or on account of any trespasses upon or material taken from the said lands of the United States in the ordinary clearing of land, in working a mining claim or for agricultural or domestic purposes or for maintaining improvements upon the land of any bena fide settler or for or on account of any timberBona fide settlers protected from suit. or material taken or used by any person without fault or knowledge of the trespass or for or on account of any timber taken or used without fraud or collusion by any person who in good faith paid the officers or qgents of the United States for the same or for or on account of any alleged conspiracy in relation thereto: *Provided*, That the provisions of this section shall apply only to tres-*Proviso*. 238 FORTY-SIXTH CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 227,234. 1880. passes and acts done or committed and conspiracies entered into prior *Proviso*.to March first, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine: *And provided further*, That defendants in such suits or proceedings shall exhibit to the proper courts or officer the evidence of snch entry and payment and shall pay all costs accrued up to the time of such entry. Sec. 2. That persons who have heretofore under any of the homesteadHomestead entries, solo of. laws entered lands properly subject-to such entry, or persons to whom the right of those having so entered for homesteads, may have been attempted to be transferred by bena fide instrument in writing, may entitle themselves to said lands by paying the government price therefor, and in no case less than one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, and the amount heretofore paid the government upon said lands shall be taken *Proviso*.as part payment of said price: *Provided*, This shall in no wise interfere with the rights or claims of others who may have subsequently entered such lands under the homestead laws.
Sec. 3. That the price of lands now subject to entry which were raisedPrice of lands i n alternate sections granted Railroad companies reduced to $1.25 per acre.Mineral lands excepted from Provisions of act. to two dollars and fifty cents per acre, and put in market prior to January, eighteen hundred and sixty one, by reason of the grant of alternate sections for railroad purposes is hereby reduced to one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Sec. 4. This act shall not apply to any of the mineral lands of the United States; and no person who shall be prosecuted for or proceeded against on account of any trespass committed or material taken from any of the public lands after March first, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine shall be entitled to the benefit thereof.
Approved, June 15, 1880.