Chapter 229. Restoring to the public domain certain lands heretofore reserved for reservoir purposes at the headwaters of the Mississippi River and tributaries
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CHAP. 229.— An Act Restoring to the public domain certain lands heretofore reserved for reservoir purposes at the headwaters of the Mississippi River and tributaries. August 6, 1914.[[S. 1784](/us/bill/63/hr/1784).][[Public, No. 165](/us/pl/63/165).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That there is hereby restored Public lands.Reservoir lands in Minnesota opened to homestead entry.to the public domain for entry under the homestead laws, pursuant to such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe, subject to the easement provided for in section two hereof, 684any and all lands in the counties of Aitkin, St.
Louis, Crow Wing, Cass, Itasca, and Beltrami, approximately six thousand acres, and outside of the boundaries of the Minnesota National Forest Reserve hitherto reserved by Executive order in connection with the construction, maintenance, and operation of reservoirs at the headwaters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries the restoration of which the Secretary of War has recommended or may hereafter recommend to the Secretary of the Interior: *Provided, however*, That this Act *Proviso*.Lands excluded.shall not apply to lot two, in section four in township fifty-four north, range twenty-six west, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section thirty-three in township fifty-five north, range twenty-six west, said tracts described in this proviso being hereby reserved and excluded from the lands subject to homestead entry.
Sec. 2. Right to overflow reserved. That the lands hereby restored shall forever be and remain subject to the right of the United States to overflow the same or any part thereof by such reservoirs as now exist or may hereafter be constructed upon the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and all patents issued for the lands hereby restored shall expressly reserve to the United States such right of overflow. Sec. 3. Preference to actual settlers. That the time when such restoration shall take effect as to any of such lands shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior: and in all cases where actual settlement has been made on any of said lands prior to January first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, and improvements made the said settlers shall have a preferred and prior right to enter and file on said lands under the homestead law for the period of ninety days following the time fixed hereunder for the restoration of the lands.
Sec. 4. Restriction on entries before opening. That no rights of any kind, except as specified in the foregoing section, shall attach by reason of settlement or squatting upon any of the lands hereby restored to entry before the hour on which such lands shall be subject to homestead entry at the several lands offices, and until said lands are opened for settlement no person shall enter upon and occupy the same except in the cases mentioned in the foregoing section, and any person violating this provision shall never be permitted to enter any of said lands or acquire any title thereto.
Approved, August 6, 1914.