Public Law 70–541

That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized, in his discretion, to appraise, and sell, at public auction, to the highest bidder, from time to time,

Vol. 34, p. 116.

for cash, any or all of the unplatted portions of Government town sites created under the Act of April 16, 1906 (Thirty-fourth Statutes,

Vol. 32, p. 388.

page 116), on any irrigation project constructed under the Act of June 17, 1902 (Thirty-second Statutes, page 388), or Acts

Proviso.

Disposal at private sale, if not disposed of at auction.

amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto: Provided, That any land so offered for sale and not disposed of may afterwards be sold, at not less than the appraised value, at private sale, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. Patents made in pursuance of such sale shall convey all the right, title, and interest of the United States in or to the land so sold.

Sec. 2.

The net proceeds of such sales after deducting all expenditures on account of such lands, and the project construction charge, for the irrigable area of the lands so sold where irrigation or drainage works have been constructed or are proposed to be constructed, shall be disposed of as provided in Subsection I of section 4 of the

Vol. 43, p. 703.

Act of December 5, 1924 (Forty-third Statutes, page 672). Where the project construction charge shall not have been fixed at the date of any such sale, same shall be estimated by the Secretary of the Interior.

Sec. 3.

Reclamation funds are authorized to be appropriated for use in defraying the necessary expenses of appraisement and sale of the lands herein authorized to be sold, and the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to perform any and all acts and to make such rules and regulations as, in his opinion, may be necessary and proper for carrying out the purposes of this Act.