10 



inquire into and examine the location and character of unseated 

 lands advertised by the respective county treasurers and the county 

 commissioners of this Commonwealth for sale for the non-payment 

 of taxes, and if in his judgment the same are so located and are of 

 such a character as to make them desirable i'or the Commonwealth 

 for the purpose of creating and maintaining a Forestry Reservation, 

 he shall have power, at his discretion, to purchase any such lands 

 for and in behalf of the Commonwealth at such tax sales, subject to 

 the right of redemption under existing laws: Provided however, That 

 the bid made and the price paid for said lands, shall in no case ex- 

 ceed the amount of taxes for the non-payment of which the same are 

 being sold, and the costs. For all purchases so made in behalf of 

 the Commonwealth, the Auditor General shall draw his warrant 

 upon the 'State Treasurer to the order of the county treasurer, upon 

 certificate filed by the Commissioner of Forestry with the said Au- 

 ditor General: Provided further, That the Commissioner of Forestry 

 shall have power to purchase unseated lands other than such as are 

 advertised for sale for the non-payment of taxes, upon such terms 

 and conditions as may be agreed upon with the owners of such land: 

 Provided, That such purchase shall be approved by the Governor 

 and the Board of Property, consisting of the Attorney General, Sec- 

 retary of the Commonwealth and Secretary of Internal Affairs. 

 And provided further, That in no case shall the price paid for such 

 unseated land exceed the assessed value of the same. For all pur- 

 chases so made in behalf of the Commonwealth the Auditor General 

 shall draw his warrant upon the State Treasurer to the order of the 

 grantor, upon certificate filed by the Commissioner of Forestry, with 

 approval as aforesaid: Provided, That in no case shall the amount 

 paid for any tract of land purchased under the provisions of this 

 act exceed the sum of five dollars per acre.* 



Section 3. In the event 'of redemption of said lands, the redemp- 

 tion money paid shall be remitted to the State Treasurer by the 

 county treasurer, with a statement describing the tract of land so 

 redeemed. 



Section 4. The title to all lands so purchased, and not redeemed 

 after the expiration of the time limited for redemption, shall be 

 taken as vested in the Commonwealth to the same extent, and with 

 like effect as though such purchase had been made by an individual 

 at such sale, and the county treasurer shall certify to the Secretary 

 of Agriculture, lists of all lands purchased in behalf of the Common- 

 wealth and not redeemed within the time limited for such redemp- 

 tion, with a description of each tract as required by section one of 

 Ihis act, and thereafter such lands shall not be subject to further 



*Section 2, as amended by act of April 28, A. D. 1899. 



