CLAIMS. 9 



prior to the withdrawal of the lands, or their inclusion therein, may 

 be perfected and patents obtained by compliance with the law under 

 which such claims were initiated. 



Determina- The determination of questions involving title to 

 tion of title to unperfected claims in National Forests is within the 

 claims. jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior. 



A valid claim is one initiated in good faith under some act of 

 . Congress for the acquisition of title to public lands 



valid daiST and continued by use consistent with the char- 



acter of the claim and necessary for its actual 

 development. 



It is a fundamental requisite that all claims be initiated hi good 

 faith for the purpose contemplated by the law under which they are 

 held. It is bad faith, for instance, to hold a mining or agricultural 

 claim primarily for the timber thereon or to acquire a site valuable 

 for water-power development. Where the land is held for the timber, 

 for a hotel site, saloon site, or other foreign use, and there has been no 

 compliance with the requirements of the law under which the claim 

 was initiated, it may be considered prejudicial to National Forest 

 interests. 



It has been held by the Department of the Interior that the with- 

 drawal of lands for and their inclusion in a National 

 Government Forest constitutes the Government an adverse claim- 



to dVe i^nd Clai Sith- ant to the land ' No cont . est or Protest against issu- 

 drawn for Na- ance of patent can be considered by the General Land 

 tional Forests. Office unless specific charges are filed within two years 

 after the date of issuance of final certificate, except 

 as to timber and stone entries. 



In harmony with the practice of the General Land 



claims are S con O^ ce ? a ^ reports on claims made by Forest officers 



fidential. must be held as confidential, and may be examined 



only by duly authorized officers and employees of 



the Government. 



Prospecting will not be interfered with and mineral locations will 

 not be examined prior to application for mineral 

 ^ Examinations p^ent, except where a report is requested by the 

 claims. Department of the Interior or where locations inter- 



fere with the administration of the National Forest. 

 No adverse report will be submitted to the Department of the Inte- 

 rior which has not been made by a mineral examiner. 



A squatter is one who settled upon a tract of unsurveyed public 

 land with the bona fide intent to acquire title thereto under the 

 homestead law upon public survey of the land. 



Squatters who settled upon National Forest land before its with- 

 drawal and who have maintained residence thereon, 

 Squatters' improvements, and cultivation in good faith since 

 tion! Forest settlement and who are a\yaiting public survey to 

 land. make entry have the same right to occupy and enjoy 



their holdings as homestead entrymen. 



Such a settler must make entry of the land claimed within three 

 months from the filing of the township plat in the local land office 

 for the district within which such land is situated. Failure to do so 

 may forfeit his prior right of entry. 

 9388 12 2 



