Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 69.djvu/582

 540

PUBLIC LAW 256-AUG. 9, 1955

[69

STAT.

and by the persons prescribed in the Act of July 8, 1940 (54 Stat. 745; •25 U.S.C. 1946 edition, sec. 380, as amended): Provided, That if the authority of the Secretary under this section is delegated to any subordinate official, then any heir or devisee shall have the right to appeal the action of any such official to the Secretary under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe. SEC. 3. The Act of March 3, 1909 (35 Stat. 783; 25 U.S.C. 396) is amended by inserting before the period at the end thereof the following proviso: ": Provided, That if the said allottee is deceased and the heirs to or devisees of any interest in the allotment have not been determined, or, if determined, some or all of them cannot be located, the Secretary of the Interior may offer for sale leases for mining purposes to the highest responsible qualified bidder, at public auction, or on sealed bids, after notice and advertisement, upon such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. The Secretary of the Interior shall have the right to reject all bids whenever in his judgment the interests of the Indians will be served by so doing, and to readvertise such lease for sale". SEC. 4. No rent or other consideration for the use of land leased under this Act shall be paid or collected more than one year in advance, unless so provided in the lease. SEC. 5. The Secretary of the Interior shall approve no lease pursuant to this Act that contains any provision that will prevent or delay a termination of Federal trust responsibilities with respect to the land during the term of the lease. SEC. 6. Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to repeal any authority to lease restricted Indian lands conferred by or pursuant to any other provision of law. Approved August 9, 1955. Public Law 256 August 9. 1955

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Flood protection. St. Louis, Mo.

Appropriation.

CHAPTER 616 ^^

^^'^

Authorizing construction of certain public works on the Mississippi River for the protection of Saint Louis, Missouri. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the project for flood protection at Saint Louis, Missouri, is hereby authorized substantially as recommended by the Chief of Engineers in Senate Document Numbered 57, Eighty-fourth Congress, at an estimated cost of $123,020,000. SEC. 2. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. Approved August 9, 1955. Public Law 257

CHAPTER 617

August 9, 1955 [S. 72]

AN ACT To provide that certain lands acquired by the United States shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as national forest lands.

Lincoln National Forest, N. Mex.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That those certain lands situated within the boundaries of the Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico, which were conveyed to the United States by the State

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