the same to be laid off and platted in convenient and suitable lots, which shall be forever devoted for the purpose of the burial of the dead. Cemetery: part And he may set apart forever to each of the religious denominations of, for use of re- organized in Salt Lake City which shall file with him proof of their orligious denomina- ganization a lot not to exceed one acre in size, and of convenient shape, which such denominations may inclose and ornament as they see fit, to be used for the purposes of burial; -part as a potter's field. And two acres shall be reserved as a "potter's field," or common burying ground, which may be inclosed and ornamented by the authority of the said city. [May 16, 1874.] May 18, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 47. CHAPTER 182. AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF CERTAIN SETTLERS ON THE FORT RANDALL MILITARY Fort Randall military reservation, in Dakota, in part transferred to Interior Department. Certain settlers to have patents. - to be paid for improvements. -not to be paid for improvements restored to them. SECTION 1. Fort Randall military reservation, in Dakota, SECTION 3. to be paid for improvements. -not to be paid for improvements restored to them. [SECTION 1], That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized to transfer to the custody of the Department of the Interior such portions of the military reservation of Fort Randall, in Dakota, as were actually occupied by settlers prior to the promulgation of the order of the President of June fourteenth, eighteen hundred and sixty, setting apart the reservation for military purposes, and, further, such portions of the said reservation as were released from military occupation and control between the years eighteen hundred and sixty-seven and eighteen hundred and seventy, and were during that time settled upon in good faith and in the belief that the lands were open to settlement. SEC. 2. That the Secretary of the Interior be authorized to confirm, in accordance with existing laws, the titles of such settlers upon the military reservation of Fort Randall as may be reported by the Secretary of War for that purpose, and to cause patents to be issued for such lands as the aforesaid settlers may be entitled to under existing laws and the provisions of this act. SEC. 3. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to pay to each of the aforesaid settlers the respective amounts that were appraised as the value of their respective improvements, by a military board of survey convened for that purpose, at Fort Randall, under instructions from the War Department, dated March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-one: Provided, That in case any improvements, or portion thereof, shall have been restored or delivered to any settler, after the appraisement of the same by the said military board of survey, such settler shall not be entitled to payment under this act for the improvements, or portion thereof, so restored or delivered to him. [May 18, 1874.] CHAPTER 186. May 21, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 48. AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT ENTITLED (1) "AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISH- Military prison to be at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, instead of Rock Island. Military prison Be it enacted, &c., That said act be, and the same is hereby, so amended to be at Fort Leav- that all acts and things therein required to be done and performed at enworth, Kansas, Rock Island, in the State of Illinois, shall be done and performed on NOTE.-(1) The act of 1873, ch. 249 (17 Stat. L., 582), here referred to, is incorporated into Revised the military reservation at Fort Leavenworth in the State of Kansas: instead of at Rock Provided, That the Government buildings now on said military reser- Island. vation at Fort Leavenworth shall be modified and used so far as prac- R. S., §§ 1344ticable for the purposes of said prison. [May 21, 1874.] 1361. Occupants of land under color of title, adjudged invalid, to have remedies, in Federal courts, for im provements. June 1, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 50. Occupants of land under color of title adjudged in Be it enacted, &c., That when an occupant of land, having color of title, in good faith has made valuable improvements thereon, and is, in the proper action, found not to be the rightful owner thereof, such occupant shall be entitled in the Federal courts to all the rights and reme- valid, to have remdies, and, upon instituting the proper proceedings, such relief as may edies, in Federal be given or secured to him by the statutes of the State or Territory courts, for improvewhere the land lies, although the title of the plaintiff in the action may have been granted by the United States after said improvements were so made. [June 1, 1874.] ments. R. S., § 721. CHAPTER 201. AN ACT TO FACILITATE THE EXECUTION OF, AND TO PROTECT CERTAIN PUBLIC WORKS Secretary of War to have control of channel at mouth of Mississippi River until improvements are completed, &c. Penalty for interfering with or obstructing im June 1, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 50. Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the passage of this act the Secretary of War Secretary of War is directed to assume full control over the particular to have control of channel at the mouth of the Mississippi River in course of excavation channel at mouth or improvement by the Government of the United States, so far as may of Mississippi Riv er until improvebe necessary to the carrying on and protection of such excavation and ments are comimprovement, and until the same be completed, and he may establish pleted; may make such regulations respecting the use of, or passage through, such chan- regulations, &c. nel as he shall deem needful to fully protect the channel and to facilitate the excavation, improvement and use thereof. Such regulations shall be promulgated by publication thereof for ten days consecutively in two daily papers published in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the same may in like manner be changed from time to time; And any person interfering with, or obstructing, or attempting to Penalty for inobstruct the said improvements, and any person who shall willfully or terfering with or negligently strand or sink any boat or craft in said channel, or who obstructing imshall willfully, or negligently obstruct said channel, or cause any impair- provements. ment injury, filling up, or shoaling therein, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not ex ceeding, five hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, in the discretion of the court. [June 1, 1874.] CHAPTER 205. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE BETTER PROTECTION OF THE FRONTIER SETTLEMENTS OF Secretary of War may construct and operate telegraph line in Texas and Indian Territory to connect June 3, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 51. Be it enacted, &c., That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, Secretary of War authorized to construct and operate a line of telegraph, beginning at or may construct and operate telegraph near the city of Denison, in Grayson county, Texas; thence by the 461. June 3, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 52. Pre-emptors of CHAPTER 206. AN ACT TO EXTEND THE TIME TO PRE-EMPTORS ON THE PUBLIC LANDS IN THE STATE Pre-emptors of public lands in Minnesota allowed further time to make proof, payment, &c. further time to June 5, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 53. at Rutland on first CHAPTER 214. AN ACT CHANGING THE TIME OF HOLDING CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS IN VERMONT. In Vermont, circuit and district courts to be held at Rutland on first Tuesday in October, and at Wind- In Vermont, cir- Be it enacted, &c., That the term of the circuit court holden at Rut- R. S., § 572, 2d ed., p. 101. R. S., § 658, 122. p. Provided, That this act shall not apply to the next terms of the circuit and district court to be holden at Windsor, but the same shall be held at the times now provided by law. [June 5, 1874.] June 6, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 58. CHAPTER 216. AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE NAVAL SERVICE FOR THE YEAR ENDING Commandant of Marine Corps; his appointment, rank, and pay. Commandant of Marine Corps; his Be it enacted, &c., Provided, That office of commandant of the Marine Corps having the appointment, rank of a brigadier-general of the Army shall continue until a vacancy rank, and pay. R. S., 1596, shall occur in the same, and no longer; (1) and when such vacancy shall 1601. NOTE. (1) The office became vacant November 1, 1876, and the commandant was appointed as provided by this act. occur in said office, immediately thereupon all laws and parts of laws creating said office shall become inoperative, and shall, by virtue of this act, from thenceforth be repealed: And provided further, That thereafter the commandant of the Marine Pay and rank of Corps shall have the rank and pay of a colonel, and shall be appointed commandant of by selection by the President from the officers of said corps. Marine Corps. [June 6, 1874.] CHAPTER 217. AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE MILITARY ACADEMY FOR A judge-advocate of Army may be assigned by Secretary of War as professor of law at the Military Be it enacted, &c., * Provided, That the Secretary of War may assign one of the judge. advocates of the Army to be professor of law. 1874.] [June 6, June 6, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 60. A judge-advocate of Army may be assigned by Secretary of War as professor of law at the Military Academy. Ř. S., §§ 1200, 1201, 1309. CHAPTER 218. AN ACT TO CHANGE THE NAME, OF THE PORT OF SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA, TO WIL MINGTON. Port of San Pedro, Cal., to be called Wilmington. Be it enacted, &c., That the port of San Pedro, on the Pacific coast, shall be called Wilmington. [June 6, 1874.] CHAPTER 219. AN ACT TO EQUALIZE PENSIONS IN CERTAIN CASES. Pensioners under special acts to have benefit of — pensions of, not to be reduced theroby. general laws. June 6, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 61. un Pensioners der special acts to have benefits of general law. Be it enacted, &c., That all persons entitled to pensions under special acts fixing the rate of such pensions, and now receiving or entitled to receive a less pension than that allowed by the general pension laws under like circumstances, are, in lieu of their present rate of pension, R. S., §§ 4692hereby declared to be entitled to the benefits and subject to the limita- 4791. tions of the general pension laws entitled "An act to revise, consolidate, and amend the laws relating to pensions," approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-three; (1) and that this act go into effect from and after its passage: Provided, That this act shall not be construed to reduce any pension -pensions of, not granted by special act. [June 6, 1874.] to be reduced thereby. NOTE. (1) The provisions of the act of 1873 ch. 234 (17 Stat. L., 566), here referred to, are incorporated into Revised Statutes in the sections noted in the margin. June 6, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 61. CHAPTER 220. AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF Time for expenditures, &c., on mining claims located prior to May 10, 1872, extended to January 1, 1875. Time for expend- Be it enacted, &c., That the provisions of the fifth section (1) of the itures, &c., on act entitled "An act to promote the development of the mining resources mining claims lo- of the United States," passed May tenth, eighteen hundred and seventycated prior to May 10, 1872, extended two, which requires expenditures of labor and improvements on claims located prior to the passage of said act, are hereby so amended that the time for the first annual expenditure on claims located prior to the passage of said act shall be extended to the first day of January, eighteen hundred and seventy-five. [June 6, 1874.] to Jan. 1, 1875. R. S., § 2324. NOTE. (1) The provisions of the act of 1872, ch. 152, § 5 (17 Stat. L., 92), here referred to, are incorpo- June 6, 1874. 18 Stat. L., 62. Title of lands in Missouri confirmed owners. CHAPTER 223. AN ACT OBVIATING THE NECESSITY OF ISSUING PATENTS FOR CERTAIN PRIVATE [SECTION 1], That all of the right, title, and interest of the United by acts of Con- States in and to all of the lands in the State of Missouri which have at officers, &c., released any time heretofore been confirmed to any person or persons by any in fee to equitable act of Congress, or by any officer or officers, or board or boards of commissioners, acting under and by authority of any act of Congress, shall be, and the same are hereby, granted, released, and relinquished by the United States, in fee-simple, to the respective owners of the equitable titles thereto, and to their respective heirs and assigns forever, as fully and as completely, in every respect whatever, as could be done by patents issued therefor according to law. 98 U. S. R., 203. -without affect &c. SEC. 2. That nothing contained in the first section of this act shall, ing valid rights, in any manner, abridge, divest, impair, injure or prejudice any valid right, title or interest of any person or persons in or to any portion or part of the lands mentioned in said first section; and this act shall in no wise affect any lands or lots heretofore relinquished to the United States. SEC. 3. That whenever the Secretary of the Interior shall be of the of land titles in opinion that the public interest no longer requires the continuance of Missouri may be the office of recorder of land titles in Missouri, he may close and discon1876, ch. 246, tinue the same, (1) and all of the records, maps, plats, field-notes, books, papers, and everything else concerning, pertaining, or belonging to said office of recorder, shall be delivered to the State of Missouri: Office of recorder discontinued. par. 8. State to provide Provided, however, (2) That said State shall provide by law for the for safe-keeping of reception and safe-keeping of said records, maps, plats, field-notes, records, &c. R. S., 2218- books, papers, and everything else belonging to said office of recorder, as public records, and for the allowance of free access to the same by the authorities of the United States, for the purpose of taking extracts therefrom, or making copies thereof, without charge of any kind: And provided further, That when said office of recorder shall be closed General Land Of- and discontinued as aforesaid, the Commissioner of the General Landfice to have powers Office shall forever thereafter possess and exercise all of the powers and authority and perform all the duties of said recorder. [June 6, 1874.] of Commissioner of R. S., § 453. 1876, July 31, ch. 246, § 1, par. 8. NOTES. (1) The office of recorder of land titles for Missouri was abolished by law, by act of 1876, ch. 246, par. 8. (2) The State of Missouri, by act of April 28, 1877, made provisions for the reception and safe-keeping of the records, maps, &c., of the recorder's office, as by this act required. F L |