Chapter 46. to declare forfeiture of certain lands granted to aid in the construction of a railroad in Oregon
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CHAP. 46.— An Act to declare forfeiture of certain lands granted to aid in the construction of a railroad in Oregon.Jan. 31, 1885. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Lands granted for construction of railroad from Portland to Astoria and McMinnville in Oregon, forfeited and restored to public domain.1870, vol. 16, CH. 69, p. 94. That so much of the lands granted by an act of Congress entitled “An act granting land to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from Portland to Astoria and McMinnville, in the State of Oregon,” approved May fourth, eighteen hundred and seventy, as are adjacent to and coterminous with the uncompleted portions of said road, and not embraced within the limits of said grant for the completed portions of said road, be, and the same are hereby, declared to be forfeited to the United States and restored to the public domain, and made subject to disposal under the general land laws of the United States as though said grant had never been made.
Sec. 2. That all persons who at the date of the passage of this act are Saving rights of actual settlers.actual settlers in good faith on any of the lands hereby forfeited, and who are otherwise qualified, on making due claim to such lands under the homestead, pre emption, or other laws, within six months after the same shall have been declared forfeited, shall be entitled to a preference right to enter the same in accordance with the provisions of this act and of the homestead, preemption, or other laws, as the case may be, and shall be regarded as having legally settled upon and occupied said lands under said pre emption, homestead, or other laws, as the case may be, from the date of such actual settlement or occupation; and in case any such settler may not be entitled to thus enter or acquire such land under existing laws, he shall be permitted, within one year after the passage of this act, to purchase not to exceed one hundred and sixty acres of the same, at the price of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre; and the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to make such rules and regulations as will secure to said actual settlers the *Proviso*.benefit of these rights: *Provided*, That the price of the even-numbered sections within the limits of said grant and adjacent to and coterminous with the uncompleted portions of said road, and not embraced within the limits of said grant for the completed portions of said road, is hereby reduced to one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.
Sec. 3. That the act of March third, eighteen hundred and seventy- five,1875, vol. 18, ch.196, p. 519.Repealed. entitled “An act for the relief of settlers within railroad limits,” is hereby repealed. Approved, January 31st, 1885.