Chapter 302. To establish the Lassen Volcanic National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the State of California, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 302.— An Act To establish the Lassen Volcanic National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the State of California, and for other purposes. August 9, 1916[[H. R. 348](/us/bill/64/hr/348)][[Public, No. 184](/us/pl/64/184)] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* Lassen Volcanic National Park, Cal.Established. That all those certain tracts, pieces, or parcels of land lying and being situate in the State of California and within the boundaries particularly described as follows, to Description.wit:
Beginning at the northeast corner of section three, township thirty-one, range six east, Mount Diablo meridian, California; thence southerly to the southeast corner of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section eleven, said township; thence southerly to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section fourteen, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section twenty-four, said township; thence southerly to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section twenty-five, said township; thence westerly to the southwest comer of section twenty-six, said township; thence southerly to the southeast corner of section thirty-four, said township; thence westerly along the sixth standard parallel north, allowing for the proper offsets, to the northeast corner of section three, township thirty north, range six east; thence southerly to the southeast corner of section twenty-seven, said township; thence westerly to the southwest comer of the southeast quarter of section twenty-eight, said township; thence northerly to the northwest comer of the southeast quarter of said section; thence westerly to the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of said section; thence westerly to the southwest comer of the southeast quarter of section twenty, said 443township; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence westerly to the range line between ranges five and six east; thence southerly along said range line to the southeast corner of township thirty north, range five east; thence westerly along the township line between townships twenty-nine and thirty north to the southwest corner of section thirty-three, township thirty north, range five east; thence northerly to the northwest corner of said section; thence westerly to the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section twenty-nine, said township; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence westerly to the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of said section; thence westerly to the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section twenty, township thirty north, range four east; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section eight, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section nine, said township; thence northerly to the township line between townships thirty and thirty-one north; thence easterly along the sixth standard parallel north, allowing for the proper offsets, to the southwest corner of section thirty-three, township thirty-one north, range four east; thence northerly to the northwest corner of section twenty-one, said township; thence easterly to the range line between ranges four and five east; thence northerly along said range line to the northwest corner of fractional section eighteen, township thirty-one north, range five east; thence easterly to the southwest corner of section twelve, said township; thence northerly to the northwest corner of section one, said township; thence easterly along the township line between townships thirty-one and thirty-two north to the northeast corner of section three, township thirty-one north, range six east, the place of beginning, are hereby reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, disposal, or sale, under the laws of the United States, and said tracts are dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States under the name and to be known and designated as the Lassen Volcanic National Park; and all persons who shall locate or settle upon orTrespassing forbidden. occupy the same, or any part thereof, except as hereinafter provided, shall be considered trespassers and be removed thereform: *Provided*,*Provisos*.Valid claims not affected.
That nothing herein contained shall affect any valid existing claim, location, or entry under the land laws of the United States or the rights of any such claimant, locator, or entryman to the full use and enjoyment of his land: *Provided further*, That rights of way for steamRights of way. or electric railways, automobiles, or wagon roads may be acquired within said Lassen Volcanic National Park under filings or proceedings hereafter made or instituted under the laws applicable to the acquisition of such rights over or upon the national forest lands of the United States when the construction of such roads will not interfere with the objects of the national park, and that the United StatesReclamation Service use.
Reclamation Service may enter upon and utilize for flowage or other purposes any area within said park which may be necessary for the development and maintenance of a Government reclamation project;Present ownership not affected. that no lands located within the park boundaries now held in private, municipal, or State ownership shall be affected by or subject to the provisions of this Act: *And provided further*, That no lands withinIndemnity selections. the limits of said park hereby created belonging to or claimed by any railroad or other corporation now having or claiming the right of indemnity selection by virtue of any law or contract whatsoever shall be used as a basis for indemnity selection in any State or Territory whatsoever for any loss sustained by reason of the creation of said park.
Sec. 2. Regulations of control, etc. That said park shall be under the exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it shall be, as soon as practicable, to make and publish such rules and regulations not inconsistent with the laws of the United States as he may deem necessary or proper for the care, protection, management, and improvement of the same. Such regulations being primarily aimed at the freest use of the said park for recreation purposes by the public and for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits, and natural curiosities or wonders within said park and their retention in their natural condition as far as practicable and for the preservation of the park in a state of nature so far as is consistent with the purposes of this Act.
He shall provide against the wanton destruction of the fish and game found within said park and against their capture or destruction for purposes of merchandise or profit, and generally shall be authorized to take all such measures as shall be necessary to fully carry out the objects and purposes of this Act. Leases to accommodate visitors, etc.Said Secretary may, in his discretion, execute leases to parcels of ground not exceeding ten acres in extent at any one place to any one person or persons or company for not to exceed twenty years when such ground is necessary for the erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors and to parcels of ground not exceeding one acre in extent and for not to exceed twenty years to persons who have heretofore erected, or whom he may hereafter authorize to erect, summer homes or cottages.
Such leases or privileges may be renewed or extended at the expiration of the terms thereof. No exclusive privilege, however, shall be granted within the park except upon the ground leased. The regulations governing the park shall include provisions for the use of automobiles therein and the reasonable grazing of stock. Sec. 3. Timber disposal. That the Secretary of the Interior may also sell and permit the removal of such matured or dead or down timber as he may deem necessary or advisable for the protection or improvement of the park.
Sec. 4. Charges. That the Secretary of the Interior may exact such charges as he deems proper for leases and all other privileges granted hereunder. Sec. 5. Limit on appropriations. That no appropriation for the maintenance, supervision, or improvement of said park in excess of $5,000 annually shall be made unless the same shall have first been expressly authorized by law. Approved, August 9, 1916.