Copies of records, etc., of Gen

2 8., 717.

CERTIFIED COPIES OF RECORDS.

Revised Statutes.-Secs. 891, 2469, 2470-Exemplification of records and use of such copies as evidence.

Act of August 24, 1912 (37 Stat., 497)-Cost of copies and admissibility of same in evidence.

UNITED STATES REVISED STATUTES.

SEC. 891. Copies of any records, books, or papers in the eral Land Office. General Land Office, authenticated by the seal and cerApr. 25, 1812, tified by the Commissioner thereof, or, when his office is vacant, by the principal clerk, shall be evidence equally with the originals thereof. And literal exemplifications of any such records shall be held, when so introduced in evidence, to be of the same validity as if the names of the officers signing and countersigning the same had been fully inserted in such record.

Copies of rec

ords, etc., to be

July 4, 1836, 5

SEC. 2469. The Commissioner of the General Land certified. Office shall cause to be prepared, and shall certify, under 8., 111: Mar. 13, the seal of the office, such copies of records, books, and 3, 1875, 18 S., 481. papers on file in his office, as may be applied for, to be used in evidence in courts of justice.

1874, 18 S., 21; Mar.

Exemplifica- SEC. 2470. Literal exemplifications of

tions valid with

cers signing and

any

records out names of offi- which have been or may be granted in virtue of the precountersigning. ceding section shall be deemed of the same validity in all Mar. 3, 1843, 5 proceedings, whether at law or in equity, wherein such exemplifications are adduced in evidence, as if the names of the officers signing and countersigning the same had been fully inserted in such record.

8., 627.

Interior Depart

ment, copies of nished.

ACT OF CONGRESS PASSED SUBSEQUENT TO THE

REVISED STATUTES.

An Act To make uniform charges for furnishing copies of records of the Department of the Interior and of its several bureaus.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives records to be fur- of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior, the head of any bureau, office, or institution, or any officer of that department, may, when not prejudicial to the interests of the Government, furnish authenticated or unauthenticated copies of any official books, records, papers, documents, maps, plats, or diagrams within his custody, and charge Schedule of fees. therefor the following fees: For all written copies, at the rate of fifteen cents for each hundred words therein; for each photolithographic copy, twenty-five cents where such copies are authorized by law; for photographic

official use.

copies, fifteen cents for each sheet; and for tracings or blue prints the cost of the production thereof to be deter- Verification. mined by the officer furnishing such copies, and in addition to these fees the sum of twenty-five cents shall be charged for each certificate of verification and the seal attached to authenticated copies: Provided, That there No charge for shall be no charge for the making or verification of copies required for official use by the officers of any branch of the Government: Provided further, That only a charge of Authenticated twenty-five cents shall be made for furnishing authenti- rules, etc. cated copies of any rules, regulations, or instructions printed by the Government for gratuitous distribution.

copies of printed

records.

SEC. 2. That nothing in this act shall be construed to Inspection limit or restrict in any manner the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe such rules and regulations as he may deem proper governing the inspection of the records of said department and its various bureaus by the general public, and any person having any particular interest in any of such records may be permitted to take copies of such records under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 3. That all authenticated copies furnished under Acceptance this act shall be admitted in evidence equally with the evidence. originals thereof.

SEC. 4. That all officers who furnish authenticated Use of seal. copies under this act shall attest their authentication by the use of an official seal, which is hereby authorized for

that purpose.

ceipts.

of

of

SEC. 6. That all sums received under the provisions of Deposit of rethis act shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts.

Approved, August 24, 1912 (37 Stat., 497).

Entry of coal lands.

COAL LANDS.

For surface entry, selection, etc., of coal lands, see "Homesteads." Revised Statutes.-Secs. 2347-2352-Entry of coal lands-Limits of area-Price-Preemptions-One entry-Priority of rights.

UNITED STATES REVISED STATUTES.

SEC. 2347. Every person above the age of twenty-one Mar. 3, 1873, 17 years, who is a citizen of the United States, or who has S., 607. 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 coal lands. Ibid.

sixty days, etc. Ibid.

SEC. 2348. Any person or association of persons severally qualified, as above 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 preference 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.

Preemption SEC. 2349. All claims under the preceding section claims of coal land to be pre- must be presented to the register of the proper land dissented within trict within sixty days after the 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