Chapter 363. To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease, for production of oil and gas, ceded lands of the Shoshone or Wind River Indian Reservation in the State of Wyoming
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CHAP. 363.— An Act To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease, for production of oil and gas, ceded lands of the Shoshone or Wind River Indian Reservation in the State of Wyoming. August 21, 1916[[S. 6308](/us/bill/64/s/6308)][[Public, No. 218](/us/pl/64/218)] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* That the Secretary of theShoshone Indian Reservation, Wyo.Oil and gas leases on ceded lands of, authorized.
Interior is hereby authorized and empowered to lease, for the production of oil and gas therefrom, lands within the ceded portion of the Shoshone or Wind River Indian Reservation in the State of Wyoming, under such terms and conditions as shall be by him prescribed ; and the proceeds or royalties arising from any such leasesProceeds to Indians. shall be first applied to the extinguishment of any indebtedness of the Shoshone Indian Tribe to the United States and thereafter shall be applied to the use and benefit of said tribe in the same manner as though secured from the sale of said lands as provided by the ActVol. 33, p. 1020. of Congress approved March third, nineteen hundred and five, entitled “An Act to ratify and amend an agreement with the Indians residing on, the Shoshone or Wind River Indian Reservation in the State of Wyoming, and to make appropriations for carrying the same into effect”: *Provided, however*, That nothing contained in this Act*Proviso*.Prior rights not affected. shall be construed to abridge or enlarge any asserted or initiated rights or claims under any law of the United States.
Sec. 2. That the leases granted under this Act shall be conditionedRoyalties. upon the payment by the lessee of such royalty as may be fixed in the lease, which shall not be less than one-tenth in amount or value of the production and the payment in advance of a rental of not less than 520$1 per acre per annum during the continuance of the lease. The rental paid for any one year to be credited against the royalties as Terms, etc.they accrue for that year. Leases shall be for a period of twenty years with the preferential right in the lessee to renew the same for successive periods of ten years each upon such reasonable terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, unless otherwise provided by law at the time of expiration of any such period; said leases shall be irrevocable except for the breach of the terms and conditions of the same and may be forfeited and canceled by an appropriate proceeding in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming whenever the lessee fails to comply with their terms and conditions.
Approved, August 21, 1916.