§ 177. — Patents for lands in New Mexico held under color of title.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 43USC177]
TITLE 43--PUBLIC LANDS
CHAPTER 7--HOMESTEADS
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 177. Patents for lands in New Mexico held under color of
title
Whenever it shall be shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of
the Interior that a tract or tracts of public land, not known to be
mineral, in the State of New Mexico, not exceeding in the aggregate one
hundred and sixty acres, has or have been held in good faith and in
peaceful, adverse possession by a citizen of the United States, his
ancestors or grantors, for more than twenty years under claim or color
of title, and that valuable improvements have been placed on such land,
or some part thereof has been reduced to cultivation, the Secretary may,
in his discretion, upon the payment of $1.25 per acre, cause a patent or
patents to issue for such land to any such citizen: Provided, That where
the area or areas so held by any such citizen is in excess of one
hundred and sixty acres the Secretary may determine what particular
subdivisions, not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres in the
aggregate, to any such citizen may be patented under this section:
Provided further, That the term ``citizen'' as used in this section
shall be held to include a corporation organized under the laws of the
United States or any State or Territory thereof.
(June 8, 1926, ch. 501, 44 Stat. 709.)