Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 32 Part 1.djvu/771

 FIFTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 1369. 1902. 705 lands, where the same shall be situated more than fifteen miles from any completed railroad or available harbor or navigable stream, and not less than fifty dollars per hectare for such lands as shall be within fifteen miles of such road, harbor, or stream: Provided, That such entries shall be taken in squares of sixteen or sixty-four hectares, in _ ` conformity with the rules and regulations governing the public-land surveys of the said Islands in plotting legal subdivisions. Sec. 54. That any person or association of persons, severall quali— ,,,,l;,'f;f°'°“°° mnt °‘ fied as above (provide, who have opened and improved, or shall hereafter open an improve, any coal mine or mines u n the public lands, and shall be in actual possession of the same, shgll be entitled to a · prefer;-encelright of gntry under the preceding section of the mines so opene an 1m rove . Sec. 55. Thdl: all claims under the preceding section must be pre- mgf§l°’°*°’Y °*°°* _ sented to the proper provincial secretary within sixty days after the ` date of actual possession and the commencement of improvements on the land by the iilin of a declaratory statement therefor; and where the improvements 5ml] have been made p1'l01' to the expiration of three months from the date of the passage of this Act, sixty days from the expiration of such three months shall be allowed for the fihng of a declaratory statement; and no sale under the provisions of this Act slhall be a lovgedb mf} the expiration of six months from the date of t e passage o t is ct. Sec. 56. That the three preceding sections shall be held to authorize L““”°°°““"“'· only one entry by the same person or association of persons; and no association of persons, any member of which shall have taken the benefit of such sections, either as an individual or as a member of any other association, shall enter or hold any other lands under the provisions thereof; and no member of any association which shall have taken the benefit of such section shall enter or hold any other lands under their provisions; and all rsons claiming under section fifty-eight shall be §,·jJj;¤,*>l¤¤ds required to prove their respective rights and pay for the lands tiled ` upon within one year from the time prescribed for filing their respective claims; and upon failure to file the pro r notice or to pay for the land wgthin the repaired period, the same shiill be subject to entry by anv other qualiiie applicant. _ Sec. 57. That in case of coniiicting claims upon coal lands where °°"‘“°"“g °"“""· the improvements shall be commenced after the date of the passage of this Act, priority of possession and improvement, followed by proper tiling and continued good faith, shall determine the preference right to purchase. And a so where im rovements have already been made prior to the passage of this Act., dlivision of the land claimed may be made by le l subdivisions, which shall conform as nearly as practicable with the subdivisions of land provided for in this Act, to include as near as may be the valuable improvements of the respective parties. The Government of the Philippine Islands is authorized to issue all needful rules and regulations for carrying into effect the provisions of this and receding sections relating to mineral lands. Sec. 58. That whenever it shall be made to appear to the secretary S°“”° l““"°· of any province or the commander of any military department in the Philippine Islands that any lands within the province are saline in character, it shall be the duty of said provincial secretary or commander, under the regulations of the Government of the Philippine Islands, to take testimony in reference to such lands, to ascertain their true character, and to report the same to the secretary of the interior _ for the Philippine Islands; and if, u n such testimony. the secretary *“°“°“ “‘l°*- of the interior shall find that such Ilfnds are saline and incapable of being purchased under an of the laws relative to the public domain, then and in such case said lands shall be offered for sale at the office of the provincial secretary or such other officer as by the said governvor. xxxu, rr 1--15