Chapter 846. To supplement existing laws relating to the disposition of lands, and so forth
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CHAP. 846.— An Act To supplement existing laws relating to the disposition of lands, and so forth. March 3, 1901. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* Section. 1. That before the Oklahoma. Ceded lands of Wichita, etc., Indians to be surveyed, subdivided, etc., prior to opening for settlement. Vol. 28, p. 894.time for opening to settlement or entry of any of the lands in the Territory of Oklahoma, respectively ceded to the United States by the Wichita and affiliated bands of Indians, and the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache tribes of Indians, under agreements respectively ratified 1094*Ante,* p. 676.by the Acts of March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and June sixth, nineteen hundred, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to subdivide the same into such number of counties as will, for the time being, best subserve the public interests, and to designate the place for the county seat of each county, and to set aside and reserve at such county seat, for disposition as herein provided, *Proviso.* Lands may be attached to adjoining county.three hundred and twenty acres of land: *Provided,* That the Secretary of the Interior may attach any part of said lands to any adjoining county in said Territory.
President’s proclamation opening lands. The lands to be opened to settlement and entry under the Acts of Congress ratifying said agreements respectively shall be so opened by proclamation of the President, and to avoid the contests and conflicting claims which have heretofore resulted from opening similar public lands to settlement and entry, the President's proclamation shall prescribe the manner in which these lands may be settled upon, occupied and entered by persons entitled thereto under the Acts ratifying said agreements, respectively; and no person shall be permitted to settle upon, occupy or enter any of said lands except as prescribed in such proclamation until after the expiration of sixty days from the time when the same are opened to settlement and entry.
Surveys, etc. The lands so set apart and designated shall, in advance of the opening, be surveyed, subdivided, and platted, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, into appropriate lots, blocks, streets, alleys, and sites for parks or public buildings, so as to make a town site thereof: *Proviso.* Limit of purchase business lots, etc.*Provided,* That no person shall purchase more than one business and one residence lot. Such town lots shall be offered and sold at public auction to the highest bidder, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, at sales to be had at the opening and subsequent thereto.
Disposition of proceeds of sales.The receipts from the sale of these lots in the respective county seats shall, after deducting the expenses incident to the surveying, subdividing, platting, and selling of the same, be disposed of under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior in the following manner: A court-house shall be erected therewith at such county seat at a cost of not exceeding ten thousand dollars and the residue shall be applied to the construction of bridges, roads, and such other public improvements as the Secretary of the Interior shall deem appropriate, including the payment of all expenses actually necessary to the maintenance of the county government until the time for collecting county taxes in County indebtedness.the calendar year next succeeding the time of the opening.
No indebtedness of any character shall be contracted or incurred by any of said counties prior to the time for collecting county taxes in the calendar year next succeeding the opening, excepting where the same shall have been authorized by the Secretary of the Interior. County officials Sec. 2. The governor of the Territory shall appoint and commission for each county all county and township officers made necessary by the laws of the Territory of Oklahoma, who shall hold their respective offices until the officers elected by the people at the general election next following the opening shall have qualified.
Additional land offices, etc., authorized. Sec. 3. The President is hereby authorized to establish two additional United States land districts and land offices in the Territory of Oklahoma, which districts shall include the lands so ceded by the Wichita and affiliated bands of Indians, one of the land offices shall be located at Elreno, in the county of Canadian: and the other shall be located at the county seat nearest Fort Sill. These land districts shall be respectively established at the time of proclaiming the lands aforesaid open to settlement and entry.
Approved, March 3, 1901.