newell] LEGISLATION. 1 1 
poses; and that he be further directed to report to Congress as soon as practicable 
the result of such investigation. (Joint resolution approved March 20, 1888 ; Statutes 
at Large, vol. 25, p. 618.) 
This was followed by the passage of an act containing an appropria- 
tion of $100,000 for the purpose of investigating the extent to which 
the arid region of the United States can be redeemed by irrigation. 
This act is as follows : 
For the purpose of investigating the extent to which the arid region of the United 
States can be redeemed by irrigation, and the segregation of the irrigable lands in 
such arid region, and for the selection of sites for reservoirs and other hydraulic 
works necessary for the storage and utilization of water for irrigation and the pre- 
vention of floods and overflows, and to make the necessary maps, including the 
pay of employees in field and in office, the cost of all instruments, apparatus, and 
materials, and all other necessary expenses connected therewith, the work to be 
performed by the Geological Survey, under the direction of the Secretary of the 
Interior, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars or so much thereof as may be 
necessary. And the Director of the Geological Survey undtr the supervision of the 
Secretary of the Interior shall make a report to Congress on the first Monday in 
December of each year, showing in detail how the said money has been expended, 
the amount used for actual survey and engineer work in the field in locating sites 
for reservoirs and an itemized account of the expenditures under this appropriation. 
And all the lands which may hereafter be designated or selected by such United 
States surveys for sites for reservoirs, ditches or canals for irrigation purposes and 
all the lands made susceptible of irrigation by such reservoirs, ditches or canals are 
from this time henceforth hereby reserved from sale as the property of the United 
States, and shall not be subject after the passage of this act, to entry, settlement 
or occupation until further provided by law : 
Provided, That the President may at any time in his discretion by proclamation 
open any portion or all of the lands reserved by this provision to settlement under the 
homestead laws. (Sundry civil act approved October 2, 1888; Statutes at Large, 
vol.25, p. 526.) 
In the following year $250,000 was appropriated for continuing this 
work. (Sundry civil act approved March 2, 1889.) 
A portion of the law passed October 7, 1888, was repealed by the fol- 
lowing provision in the sundry civil act approved August 30, 1890, and 
no appropriation was made for irrigation work as such : 
And so much of the act of October 2, 1888, entitled "An act making appropria- 
tions for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 
30th, 1889, and for other purposes," as provides for the withdrawal of the public 
landsfrom entry, occupation and settlement, is hereby repealed, and all entries made 
or claims initiated in good faith and valid but for said act, shall be recognized and may 
be perfected in the same manner as if said law had not been enacted, except that 
reservoir sites heretofore located or selected shall remain segregated and reserved 
from entry or settlement as provided by said act until otherwise provided by law, 
and reservoir sites hereafter located or selected on public lands shall in like manner 
be reserved from the date of the location or selection thereof. 
No person who shall after the passage of this act, enter upon any of the public 
lands with a view to occupation, entry or settlement under any of the land laws 
shall be permitted to acquire title to more than three hundred and twenty acres in 
the aggregate, under all of said laws, but this limitation shall not operate to curtail 
the right of any person who has heretofore made entry or settlement on the public 
lands, or whose occupation, entry or settlement, is validated by this act: Provided, 
