Thirtieth Congress,
thiSecond Session,
BE IT ENACTED
By the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress Assembled.

That a right of pre-emption is hereby granted to the present claimants and actual occupants of the islands in the Great Miami River, lying within range five and range six east of the first principal meridian, which were heretofore advertised by the President of the United States to be sold at the land office in Chilicothe, Ohio, the said sale to commence on the twenty-ninth day of June, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, but which sale was afterwards, by the President, indefinitely postponed: Provided, That such right of pre-emption shall extend in each case only to such island or islands, or to so much of any island or islands as may have been actually in the possession of any such claimant, and improved, cultivated, or enclosed on before the first day of January, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, in order to secure the benefits of the right of pre-emption, hereby granted to the claimants and occupants of said islands, application, in each case, to enter the same shall be made, and the land regularly entered and paid for, at the minimum price for which the same is now by law subject to sale; proof of occupation and possession being first made to the satisfaction of the register and receiver of the land district in which such lands be, agreeably to such rules as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury; and the same fees shall be paid to the

---

---

register and receiver as are now allowed for similar services in other cases; but no such application shall be received nor entry made, after three months from the passage of this act.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act shall be construed to interfere with, nor shall any patent that may be issued for a title, made under the provisions hereof, take away the privilege that has heretofore been, and is now, exercised and enjoyed by any person, of abutting a dam against, or conducting a race through, any of the said islands, or occupying the same for hydraulic or manufacturing purposes; but the right of pre-emption, hereby granted, shall be allowed to the holder of such hydraulic or water privileges, to the extent necessary to secure his uninterrupted enjoyment of the same, upon his complying with the the conditions of application and entry heretofore prescribed.