62 THIRTY-NINTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 116. 1866. ncgegéyaga For fpuriey of gogthlern and northwestern lakes, mcluding Lake Superi r, ii thousand 0 urs. _ hlcrglwcmm 0For gurchase of sites now occupied and lands proposed to be occupied Sim l°" l’°"‘ for permanent sea-coast defences, provided that no such purchase shall be gx0E5X2e2z2Q9s_ made except upon the approval of its expediency by the Secretary of Pur¢h¤¤¤ ¤<>¤ War, and of the validity of title by the Attorney-General, thirty-five g°¤:’§ 'g;d° thousand dollars. ’Approved, June 12, 1866. ·T¤¤° N- 1866- CHAP. CXVI. -- An Act authorizing documentary Evidence of Titles to be furnished za "'___`~_ the Owners cy" certain Lands in the City of St. Louis. Preamble. Whereas within the city of Saint Louis, in the State of Missouri, there 18ii{;<=l¤· W are many lots, tracts, pieces, and parcels of land which were confirmed by gi)]',?' lg, the act of Congress of June the thirteenth, eighteen hundred and twelve, ` note: i on the ground of inhabitation, possession, or cultivation of the same prior V°l·xL,l’P·’°*¤ to December the twentieth, eighteen hundred and three, and in some VOL X;;_`P_ g5_ cases there is no adequate documentary evidence of said confirmations; and in consequence of the death of the ancient witnesses, who knew the facts of said inhabitation, possession, or cultivation, the owners of said lands, in said cases where there is no adequate documentary evidence of said confirmations, are without complete evidence of title to the same, as against the United States ; and whereas persons holding grants and confirmations of lands in said city of Saint Louis, under other acts of Congress heretofore passed, may, in some cases, be without perfect documentary evidence of said grants or confirmations by the United States, and ditiiculties may hereafter arise therefrom, to the great injury of such persons: Therefore ·—— Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United District court States of America in Oangress assembled, That the district court of the
- ?3z'3_¤<;;*;° *¤° United States for the eastern district of Missouri is hereby authorized. by
United stm, in proper decree, to declare released, granted, relinquished, and conveyed by certain lots in the United States, infee simple and in full property, all of the right, title,
- ·I£“,;f2n;‘° and interest of the United States in and to any lot, tract, piece or parcel
th, but (,1,,;,,,, of land within the city of Saint Louis, in the State of Missouri, to the person or persons having the best claim or claims to the same ; but noth- Certain prop- ing in this act shall authorize said court to declare released, granted, reggxw °° linquished, and conveyed, as aforesaid, any land within any wharf, street, lane, avenue, alley, or other public thoroughfare, or within the boundaries of any land which has been heretofore granted or assigned by the United States for the use or support of schools, or within the boundaries of any Not where land heretofore lawfully confirmed or lawfully granted by the United €:l_;_‘1°;‘;';:;': States, where full, sufficient, and complete documentary evidence of such ,,,(,,,,_ confirmation or grant now exists of record. Proceedings Sec. 2. And be et further enacted, That every person desiring a a dc-
- ';°°f,l’°“'“ “ d°' cree in his or her favor, under this act, shall file a petition in said district
court, asking for such decree, and describing the lsmd for which said decree is desired; and the United States and all persons claiming such land adversely to said petitioner (if there be any such adverse claimants) shall mx2S5g2s_ be made defendants in said cause; and if any party to any such cause ,,,,,_,_ shall be a minor under the age of twenty-one years, a guardian ad litem Minors, shall be appointed by said court for said minor; and said district court dixgggmf shall have full and complete power, jurisdiction, and authority to hear`, try, and determine all questions arising in said cause relating to the claim of the petitioner, the extent, locality, and boundaries of said claim, and all other matters connected therewith or concerning the same; and said district court shall also have power to make, prescribe, and enforce such rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to carry this act into full and complete execution.
