Pennsylvania Act 1784-1111 (session 2) — LAND OFFICE - PUBLIC LANDS - GRANTS AND WARRANTS

Act text

AN ACT

To alter and amend an act of Assembly, entitled "An act for opening the Land Office, for granting and disposing of the unappropriated lands within this state.

Section 6. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the first day of May next, and not sooner, the Land Office of this commonwealth shall be open for applications for the land within the purchase made or to be made by the commissioners aforesaid, (the lands within this state appropriated for the redemption of depreciation certificates, and the donation lands to the officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania line, only excepted) at and after the rate of thirty pounds for every hundred acres of the same, and so in proportion for greater or less quantities thereof; such application, or the survey thereof to be made, not to exceed one thousand acres, with the usual allowance of six per centum for highways; and every applicant for any of the same lands shall, before the warrant for the same issue, produce to the Secretary of Land Office an acquittance signed by the Receiver General of the said Land Office, setting forth that the full purchase and consideration aforesaid has been paid and satisfied; and the bills of credit of this state, dated the 20th day of April, 1781, and gold and silver money, and the certificates described and directed in and by the act aforesaid, shall be received by the said Receiver General, in satisfaction of all purchase money, as aforesaid.

Section 7. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That any warrant which shall be issued in pursuance of this act shall not be confined to any particular place, but shall enable the applicant to get the same located upon any vacant land, where the said applicant shall think fit, except as aforesaid; and the land which shall be surveyed upon any such warrant shall not exceed the number of acres expressed in the said warrant; and the same land shall be all located and surveyed in one tract or parcel.

Section 9. Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all and every person or persons, and their legal representatives, who has or have heretofore settled on the north side of the west branch of the river Susquehanna, upon the Indian territory, between Lycomick or Lycoming creek on the east, and Tyagaghton or Pine creek on the west, as well as other lands within the said residuary purchase from the Indians, of the territory within the state, excepting always the lands hereinbefore excepted, shall be allowed a right of pre-emption to their respective possessions, at the price aforesaid.

Section 10. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person shall be entitled to the pre-emption aforesaid, unless he, she or they shall have made actual settlement, as before described, before the year 1780, and that no such claim shall be admitted, to or under any such person or persons, for more than three hundred acres of land, with the usual allowance for roads, to be surveyed together, and in one tract, nor unless application for the same be made and the consideration thereof tendered to the Receiver General of the Land Office, on or before the first day of November next.