42 NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL LAWS. 



The mineral springs act of February 28, 1899, extends to national 

 forests in Alaska . (2 Sol . Op . , 870 . ) 



National forest lands in Alaska surrounding hot or mineral springs, 

 and which have been withdrawn by the President under the act of 

 June 25, 1910, can not be leased under the act of February 28, 1899, or 

 their use permitted under the act of June 4, 1897, while the withdrawal 

 remains in force. (2 Sol. Op., 870.) 



COAL-LAND LAWS. 



BASIC PROVISIONS. 



UNITED STATES REVISED STATUTES. 



Entry of coal SEC. 2347. Every person above the age of twenty-one years, who is 

 a citizen of the United States, or who has declared his intention to 

 become such, or any association of persons severally qualified as above, 

 shall, upon application to the register of the proper land office, have 

 the right to enter, by legal subdivisions, any quantity of vacant coal 

 lands of the United States not otherwise appropriated or reserved by 

 competent authority not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres to 

 such individual person, or three hundred and twenty acres to such 

 association, upon payment to the receiver of not less than ten dollars 

 per acre for such lands where the same shall be situated more than 

 fifteen miles from any completed railroad, and not less than twenty 

 dollars per acre for such lands as shall be within fifteen miles of such 

 road. 



Preemption of SEC. 2348. Any person or association of persons severally qualified, 

 coal lands. ^ a b ove provided, who have opened and improved, or shall hereafter 



open and improve, any coal mine or mines upon the public lands, and 

 shall be in actual possession of the same, shall be entitled to a pref- 

 erence right of entry, under the preceding section, of the mines so 

 opened and improved: Provided, That when any association of not less 

 than four persons, severally qualified as above provided, shall have 

 expended not less than five thousand dollars in working and improving 

 any such mine or mines, such association may enter not exceeding six 

 hundred and forty acres, including such mining improvements. 



claims ofcoanLnd ^ EC * 2349- All claims under the preceding section must be presented 

 to be presented to the register of the proper land district within sixty days after the 

 within 60 days, date of actual possession and the commencement of improvements on 

 the land, by the filing of a declaratory statement therefor; but when 

 the township plat is not on file at the date of such improvement, filing 

 must be made within sixty days from the receipt of such plat at the 

 district office; and where the improvements shall have been made prior 

 to the expiration of three months from the third day of March, eighteen 

 hundred and seventy-three, sixty days from the expiration of such 

 three months shall be allowed for the filing of a declaratory statement, 

 and no sale under the provisions of this section shall be allowed until 

 the expiration of six months from the third day of March, eighteen 

 hundred and seventy-three. 



Only one entry SEC. 2350. The three preceding sections shall be held to authorize 

 only one entry by the same person or association of persons; and no 

 association of persons any member of which shall have taken the benefit 

 of such sections, either as an individual or as a member of any other 

 association, shall enter or hold any other lands under the provisions 

 thereof; and no member of any association which shall have taken the 

 benefit of such sections shall enter or hold any other lands under their 

 provisions; and all persons claiming under section twenty-three hundred 

 and forty-eight shall be required to prove their respective rights and 

 pay for the lands filed upon within one year from the time prescribed 

 for filing their respective claims; and upon failure to file the proper 

 notice, or to pay for the land within the required period, the same 

 shall be subject to entry by any other qualified applicant. 



Conflicting SEC. 2351. In case of conflicting claims upon coal-lands where the 

 improvements shall be commenced, after the third day of March, 

 eighteen hundred and seventy-three, priority of possession and im- 

 provement, followed by proper filing and continued good faith, shall 

 determine the preference-right to purchase. And also where improve- 

 ments have already been made prior to the third day of March, eighteen 



