16 U.S.C. § 151 — Acquisition; payment

submitted 124 years ago by ch. 1362 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 442 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

This section lets the Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribes give the United States up to 640 acres near Sulphur in the Chickasaw Nation, including natural springs and nearby creeks. The U.S. pays the tribes $20 per acre. The Secretary of the Interior controls use of the land and water until Congress decides otherwise.

The Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribes give up all claim to a tract of land — no more than 640 acres — at and near the village of Sulphur in the Chickasaw Nation. The Secretary of the Interior selects the exact land, choosing it to include all the natural springs there, plus enough of Sulphur Creek, Rock Creek, Buckhorn Creek, and the nearby land needed to properly control and use the springs and creek waters. The selected land must cause the least possible interference with the town site planned for that location. The United States owns and controls this ceded land completely and without restriction, except that no part of it may be platted or sold for town-site purposes while the two tribal governments still exist. The U.S. Treasury must deposit $20 for every acre selected, credited to the two tribes, drawn from unappropriated public money. This payment is full compensation for the ceded land. Once the tribal governments dissolve, this money is divided per person among tribal members — except freedmen (formerly enslaved people who were tribal members) are excluded — the same way the tribes' other funds are divided. Until Congress provides otherwise, the Secretary of the Interior may set rules regulating and controlling use of the springs' and creeks' water, and the temporary use and occupation of the ceded land. No one may occupy any part of this land, or do business on it, except as those rules allow. Until Congress provides otherwise, the federal laws governing the introduction, possession, sale, and giving away of liquor or intoxicants in Indian country or on Indian reservations also apply to this ceded land. Nothing in this section commits the U.S. government to spend money on this land or its improvements beyond what is provided here. The section's stated intent is that, in the future, the United States will convey this land and its improvements to whatever territorial or state organization exists at the time of that conveyance.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

The Choctaw and Chickasaw Tribes absolutely and unqualifiedly relinquish, cede, and convey unto the United States a tract or tracts of land at and in the vicinity of the village of Sulphur, in the Chickasaw Nation, of not exceeding six hundred and forty acres, to be selected, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, and to embrace all the natural springs in and about said village, and so much of Sulphur Creek, Rock Creek, Buckhorn Creek, and the lands adjacent to said natural springs and creeks as may be deemed necessary by the Secretary of the Interior for the proper utilization and control of said springs and the waters of said creeks, which lands shall be so selected as to cause the least interference with the contemplated town site at that place consistent with the purposes for which said cession is made. The ceded lands shall be held, owned, and controlled by the United States absolutely and without any restriction, save that no part thereof shall be platted or disposed of for town-site purposes during the existence of the two tribal governments. There shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States, to the credit of the two tribes, from the unappropriated public moneys of the United States, $20 per acre for each acre so selected, which shall be in full compensation for the lands so ceded, and such moneys shall, upon the dissolution of the tribal governments, be divided per capita among the members of the tribes, freedmen excepted, as are other funds of the tribes. Until otherwise provided by law, the Secretary of the Interior may, under rules prescribed for that purpose, regulate and control the use of the water of said springs and creeks and the temporary use and occupation of the lands so ceded. No person shall occupy any portion of the lands so ceded, or carry on any business thereon, except as provided in said rules, and until otherwise provided by Congress the laws of the United States relating to the introduction, possession, sale, and giving away of liquors or intoxicants of any kind within the Indian country or Indian reservations shall be applicable to the lands so ceded. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed or held to commit the Government of the United States to any expenditure of money upon said lands or the improvements thereof, except as provided herein, it being the intention of this provision that in the future the lands and improvements herein mentioned shall be conveyed by the United States to such Territorial or State organization as may exist at the time when such conveyance is made.

Source credit: (July 1, 1902, ch. 1362, § 64, 32 Stat. 655; June 16, 1906, ch. 3335, §§ 13, 14, 34 Stat. 275; June 29, 1906, No. 42, 34 Stat. 837; Proc. Nov. 16, 1907, 35 Stat. 2160; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 39, 62 Stat. 992; Pub. L. 94–235, § 5, Mar. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 236.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1902Enacted · Act of July 1, 1902, ch. 1362 · 32 Stat. 655
1906Amended · Act of June 16, 1906, ch. 3335 · 34 Stat. 275
1948Amended · Act of June 25, 1948, ch. 646 · 62 Stat. 992
1976Amended · Pub. L. 94-235 · 90 Stat. 236

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 1362 on 1902-07-01.

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