
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 24USC153]

 
                     TITLE 24--HOSPITALS AND ASYLUMS
 
        CHAPTER 3--NATIONAL HOME FOR DISABLED VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS
 
            SUBCHAPTER V--BATTLE MOUNTAIN SANITARIUM RESERVE
 
Sec. 153. Perfecting bona fide claims to lands; exchange of 
        private lands
        
    In all cases of unperfected bona fide claims lying within the said 
boundaries of said reserve, which claims have been properly initiated 
prior to September 2, 1902, said claims may be perfected upon compliance 
with the requirements of the laws respecting settlement, residence, 
improvements, and so forth, in the same manner in all respects as claims 
are perfected to other Government lands: Provided, That to the extent 
that the lands within said reserve are held in private ownership the 
Secretary of the Interior is authorized in his discretion to exchange 
therefor public lands of like area and value, which are surveyed, 
vacant, unappropriated, not mineral, not timbered, and not required for 
reservoir sites or other public uses or purposes. The private owners 
must, at their expense and by appropriate instruments of conveyance, 
surrender to the Government a full and unencumbered right and title to 
the private lands included in any exchange before patents are issued for 
or any rights attached to the public lands included therein, and no 
charge of any kind shall be made for issuing such patents. Upon 
completion of any exchange the land surrendered to the Government shall 
become a part of said reserve in a like manner as if they had been 
public lands at the time of the establishment of said reserve. Nothing 
contained in this section shall be construed to authorize the issuance 
of any land scrip, and the State of South Dakota is granted the 
privilege of selecting from the public lands in said State an equal 
quantity of land in lieu of such portions of section sixteen included 
within said reserve as have not been sold or disposed of by said State 
and are not covered by an unperfected bona fide claim as above 
mentioned.

(Mar. 22, 1906, ch. 1127, Sec. 3, 34 Stat. 83.)
