62 STAT.] 80TH CONG., 2D SESS.-CHS. 375, 379-JUNE 3, 1948 stretchers, and Red Cross flags and poles belonging to the Govern- ment of the United States as in his judgment may be spared and are not in use by the Government at the time of the inauguration: And provided further, That the inaugural committee shall indemnify the Government for any loss or damage to such hospital tents and appli- ances, as aforesaid, not necessarily incident to such use. SEC. 4. The Commissioners of the District of Columbia and the Administrator of the Federal Works Agency be, and they are hereby, authorized to permit telegraph, telephone, radio-broadcasting and television companies to extend overhead wires to such points along the line of parade as shall be deemed by the chief marshal convenient for use in connection with the parade and other inaugural purposes, the said wires to be taken down within ten days after the conclusion of the ceremonies. Approved June 3, 1948. [CHAPTER 379] AN ACT To amend the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, and the Potassium Act of February 7, 1927, in order to promote the development of certain minerals on the public domain; and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 2 of the Act entitled "An Act to promote the mining of coal, phosphate, oil, oil shale, gas, and sodium on the public domain", approved Feb- ruary 25, 1920, as amended (41 Stat. 438, 30 U. S . C ., sees. 201 and 202), is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 2 . (a) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to divide any of the coal lands or the deposits of coal, classified and unclassified, owned by the United States, outside of the Territory of Alaska, into leasing tracts of forty acres each, or multiples thereof, and in such form as, in his opinion, will permit the most economical mining of the coal in such tracts, but in no case exceeding two thousand five hundred and sixty acres in any one leasing tract, and thereafter he shall, in his discretion, upon the request of any qualified applicant or on his own motion, from time to time, offer such lands or deposits of coal for leasing, and shall award leases thereon by competitive bid- ding or by such other methods as he may by general regulations adopt, to any qualified applicant. He is hereby authorized, in awarding leases for coal lands improved and occupied or claimed in good faith, prior to February 25, 1920, to consider and recognize equitable rights of such occupants or claimants. No competitive lease of coal shall be approved or issued until after the notice of the proposed offering for lease has been given in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the lands are situated in accordance with regulations pre- scribed by the Secretary. "(b) Where prospecting or exploratory work is necessary to deter- mine the existence or workability of coal deposits in any unclaimed, undeveloped area, the Secretary of the Interior may issue, to applicants qualified under this Act, prospecting permits for a term of two years, for not exceeding two thousand five hundred and sixty acres; and if within said period of two years thereafter the permittee shows to the Secretary that the land contains coal in commercial quantities, the permittee shall be entitled to a lease under this Act for all or part of the land in his permit. "Any coal prospecting permit issued under this section may be extended by the Secretary for a period of two years, if he shall find that the permittee has been unable, with the exercise of reasonable 68706' --4 9-PT. --- 19 289 Indemnity for loss or damage. Telegraph, tele- phone, radio, and television wires. June 3, 194 [S. 1006] [Public Law 576] Mineral Leasing Act, amendments. Division into leas- ing tracts. Offer to qualified applicants. Rights of occupants or claimants. Notice. Prospecting permits. Extension o per- mit.
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