Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 32 Part 1.djvu/783

 FI1*l`Y—SEVENTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 1375. 1902. 717 Sec. 8. Every word in this Act importing the masculine gender , may extend and be applied to females as well as males, and the use of the plural may include also the singular, and vice versa. Arrmrsnmnnr or LANDS. Imglgrmiwment <>f Sec. 9. The lands belonging to the Cherokee tribe of Indians in T¤¤¢V¤l¤¤- Indian Territory, except such as are herein reserved from allotment, shall be appraised at their true value: Provided, That in the deter- Preisvmination of the value of such land consideration shall not be 'ven to L°°°"°°'°°°‘ the location thereof, to any timber thereon, or to any mineral dbposits contained therein, and shall be made without reference to improvements which may be located thereon. Sec. 10. The appraisement, as herein provided, shall be made by C0AP¤{¤is¤¤¤¢¤;*¤ lp the Commission to me Five oiviumd Trim, mum me direction of  tat; the Secretary of the Interior.’ Armorrmmnr or muns. Sec. 11. There shall be allotted by the Commission to the Five Civi- “;P°““°“* *° °*¤· lized Tribes and to each citizen of the Cherokee tribe, as soon as prac- ‘ ticable after the approval by the Secretary of the Interior of his enrollment as herein provided, land equal in value to one hundred and ten acres of the average allottable lands of the Cherokee Nation, to conform as nearly as may be to the areas and boundaries established by the Government survey, which land may be selected by each allottee so as to include his improvements. Sino. 12. Forthe urposeof making allotmentsanddesignating home- S“"‘“"i“‘°““· steads hereunder, the forty—acre, or quarter of a quarter section, subdivision established by the Government survey may be dealt with as if further subdivided into four e ual arts in the usual manner, thus . . 9 . P making the smallest legal subdivision ten acres, or a quarter of a quarter of a quarter of a section. _ _ Sec. 13. Each member of said tribe shall, at the time of the selec- ,,§{§',§‘,‘§’§‘$§‘§f,‘§§,{§Qj tion of his allotment, designate as a homestead out of said allotment land equal in value to forty acres of the average allotable lands of the Cherokee Nation, as nearly as may be, which shall be inalienable during the lifetime of the allottee, not exceeding twenty-one years from the date of the certificate of allotment. Separate certificate shall issue for said homestead. During the time said homestead is held by the. allottee the same shall be nontaxable and shall not be liable for any debt contracted by the owner thereof while so held by him. Sec. 14. Lands allotted to citizens shall not in any manner whatever °"*’°’·°‘°· or at any time be encumbered, taken, or sold to secure or satisfy any debt or obligation, or be alienated by the allottee or his heirs, before the expiration of five years from the date of the ratification of this Act. _ ` Sec. 15. All lands allotted to the members of said tribe, except such A"°""“°“· land as is mt aside to each for a. homestead as herein provided, shall be alienable in live years after issuance of patent. C0 _ _ _ _ Sec. 16. If for any reason an allotment should not be selected or a ;w§‘{$Q.°Q‘Q’,{°¤’l'°’ ’° homestead designated by or on behalf of any member of the tribe, it shall be the duty of said Commission to make said selection and designation. _ r i bd___ Sec. 17. In the making of allotments and in the designation of ,,§,Q“ "“"" ’“ “" homesteads for members of said tl'll’)€, said Commission shall not be required to divide lands into tracts of less than the smallest legal subdivision rovided for in section twelve hereof. _ Sec. 18. lll: shall be unlawful after ninety days after the ratification ,,cE§g§_ °f *‘"°"“'*“° of this Act by the Cherokees for any member of the Cherokee tribe to inclose or hold possession of, in any manner, by himself or through