Volume 30 · 419
Public Law 55–344
To abolish the distinction between offered and unoffered lands, and for other purposes.
Approved May 18, 1898
Statutory text
An Act
To abolish the distinction between offered and unoffered lands, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That in cases arising from find
Public lands.
Distinction between offered and unoffered lands abolished.
after the passage of this Act the distinction now obtaining in the statutes between offered and unoffered lands shall no longer be made in passing upon subsisting preemption claims, in disposing of the public lands
Vol. 20, p. 89.
Vol. 27, p. 348.
under the homestead laws, and under the timber find stone law of June third, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, as extended by the Act of August fourth, eighteen hundred and ninety-two, but in all such cases hereafter arising the land in question shall be treated as unoffered, without regard to whether it may have actually been at some time offered or not.
Sec. 2.
That all public lands within the State of Missouri shall hereafter be subject to disposal at private sale in the manner now provided by law for the sale of lauds which have been publicly offered for sale, FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Chs. 344–347. 1898.whether such lands have ever been offered at public sale or not: Provided,
Proviso.
Preference right of actual settlers.
That the actual settlers shall have a preference right, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe.
Approved, .