Chapter 120. to declare a forfeiture of lands granted to the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company, to confirm title to certain lands, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 120.— An Act to declare a forfeiture of lands granted to the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company, to confirm title to certain lands, and for other purposes.Feb. 8, 1887. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Certain lands granted to Ne w Orleans, Baton Rouge-and Vicksburg R. R. Co. forfeited.Vol. 16, p. 579. That the lands granted to the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company by the act entitled “An act to incorporate the Texas Pacific Railroad company and to aid in the construction of its road, and for other purposes,” approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, are hereby declared to be forfeited to the United States of America in all that part of said grant which is situate on the east side of the Mississippi River, and also in all that part of said grant on the west of the Mississippi River which is opposite to and coterminous with the part of the New Orleans Pacific Railroad Company which was completed on the fifth day of January, eighteen hundred and eighty-one; and said lands are restored to the public domain of the United States.
Sec. 2. That the title of the United States and of the original granteeCertain lands confirmed to New Orleans Pacific R. R. Co., assignee of New Orleans. Baton Rouge and Vicksburg R. R. Co. to the lands granted by said act of Congress of March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, to said grantee, the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company, not herein declared forfeited, is relinquished, granted, conveyed, and confirmed to the New Orleans Pacific Railroad Company, as the assignee of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company, said lands to be located in accordance with the map filed by said New Orleans Pacific Railway Company in the Department of the Interior October twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and eighty-one and November seventeenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-two, which indicate the definite location of said road: *Provided*, That all said lands occupied by actual settlers at the*Proviso*.Lands of actual settlers at the time excepted. date of the definite location of said road and still remaining in their possession or in possession of their heirs or assigns shall be held and deemed excepted from said grant and shall be subject to entry under the public land laws of the United States.
Sec. 3. That the relinquishment of the lands and the confirmation of When grant to be in effect.the grant provided for in the second sections of this act are made and shall take effect whenever the Secretary of the Interior is notified that 392 said New Orleans Pacific Railroad Company, through the action of a majority of its stockholders, has accepted the provisions of this act, and is satisfied that said company has accepted and agreed to discharge all the duties and obligations imposed upon the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company by the act of March third, eighteen Vol. 16, p. 573.hundred and seventy-one, entitled “An act to incorporate the Texas Pacific Railroad Company, and to aid in the construction of its road, and for other purposes.
” Sec. 4. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior, inSecretary of Interior to make rules to enable actual occupants to secure titles. issuing patents for the lands conveyed herein, to establish such rules and regulations as to enable all persons who on the first day of December, eighteen hundred and eighty four, were in the actual occupancy of any of the lands to which the New Orleans Pacific Railroad Company is entitled under the provisions of this act, and who are of the description of persons entitled to make homestead or preemption entry on public lands under the general laws of the United States, to secure titles to the lands so held by them, not to exceed in quantity one quarter-section and not less than one-sixteenth of a section, on the payment to said company, in lawful money of the United States, at the rate of two dollars per acre, for the lands so occupied, at one-third cash, and balance in such equal annual installments as the Secretary of the Interior shall by regulations prescribe; it being the intention of this section to protect the settlers upon said lands, and to give binding force and effect to the Blanchard-Robinson agreement made with the New Orleans Pacific Company on the fourth day of January, eighteen hundred and eighty-two, and filed in the office of the Secretary of the Interior.
Sec. 5. That the Secretary of the Interior shall make all needfulRegulations to he prescribed by Secretary of the Interior. rules and regulations for carrying this act into effect, and shall have the authority to direct, if be shall think proper, and shall so declare in such regulations, that payments may be made for the lands held and occupied under the fourth section of this act in not exceeding four equal annual installments from the date of sale, with interest thereon not to exceed six per centum per annum.
Sec. 6. That the patents for the lands conveyed herein that have alreadyPatents confirmed. been issued to said company he, and the same are hereby, confirmed; but the Secretary of the Interior is hereby fully authorized and instructed to apply the provisions of the second, third, fourth, and fifth sections of this act to any of said lands that have been so patented, and to protect any and all settlers on said lands in all their rights under the said sections of this act. Approved, February 8, 1887.