Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/823

 68 S T A T. ]

Public Law 653

791

PUBLIC LAW 654-AUG. 24, 1954 CHAPTER 902

AN ACT To confirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to issue patents in fee to allotments of lands of the Mission Indians in the State of California prior to the expiration of the trust period specified in the Act of January 12, 1891, as amended.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) The provisions of the Act approved February Eighth, Eighteen Hundred and Eighty Seven (24 Stat. 388), entitled "An Act to provide for the allotment of lands in severalty to Indians on the various reservations, and to extend the protection of the laws of the United States and the Territories over the Indians, and for other purposes", and all xVcts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto, insofar as they have not hitherto been applicable, shall apply to patents in fee simple heretofore issued or hereafter to be issued under the Act for the relief of the Mission Indians in the State of California, approved January 12, 1891 (26 Stat. 712), as amended or supplemented. (b) All patents in fee simple heretofore issued covering lands allotted under said Act approved January 12, 1891, as amended or supplemented, are hereby ratified, confirmed and declared valid from the respective dates of such issuance, even though such patents might have been issued prior to the expiration of the trust period existing with respect to a trust patent. (c) All conveyances heretofore made by patentees of lands included in fee simple patents heretofore issued covering lands allotted under said Act approved January 12, 1891, as amended or supplemented, are hereby ratified, confirmed, approved, and declared valid, to the same extent as though this Act had been in full force and effect at the time of the issuance of such patents. Approved August 24, 1954. Public Law 654

August 24, 1954 [H. R. 8365]

Mission Indians, Calif. Patents in f e e.

Validation.

CHAPTER 903

AN ACT To authorize the exchange of lands acquired by the United States for the Catoctin recreational demonstration area, Frederick County, Maryland, for the purpose of consolidating Federal holdings therein.

August 24, 1954 [H. R. 8821]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary ti^aV^demons'traof the Interior, for the purpose of consolidating Federal holdings tion area, Md. of land acquired for the Catoctin recreational demonstration area, ^ exchange. Frederick County, Maryland, is hereby empowered, in his discretion, to obtain for the United States land and interests in lands held in private ownership within the established watersheds and boundaries of said recreational demonstration area by accepting from the owners of such privately owned land complete relinquishment thereof, and the Secretary may grant to such owners in exchange therefor, in each instance, federally owned lands of approximately equal value now a part of the Catoctin recreational demonstration area, that he considers are not essential for the administration, control, and operation of the aforesaid recreational demonstration area. Any land acquired by the United States pursuant to this authorization shall

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