Title XV — LANDS, LEVEES, DRAINAGE, SEWERS AND PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY

241.010. Reclamation of swamplands by counties. — In order to provide for the reclamation of all overflowed and swamp lands which were granted to the state of Missouri for that purpose by an act of congress, entitled "An act to enable the state of Arkansas and other states to rec…

241.020. Duty of governor and secretary of state as to lists and plats. — Whenever the situation, description and quantity of said lands are made known to the governor, as soon as he shall receive from the government of the United States lists and plats of said lands, he shall ca…

241.030. Secretary of state to act as swampland agent — his duties. — 1. It is made the duty of the secretary of state of this state to act as swampland agent, to locate such public lands as the state of Missouri may be authorized to locate under the provisions of the act of cong…

241.040. Governor to relinquish title to certain lands, when. — The governor of the state is hereby authorized to relinquish the title of the state to such swamp and overflowed lands as may have been sold by the general government since the passage of the law donating said lands …

241.050. Duty of treasurer. — It is made the duty of the treasurer of this state to pay said money or scrip mentioned in section 241.030 to the authorized agents of the counties to which such money or scrip may be made payable by the provisions of sections 241.010 to 241.280. ­­-…

241.060. Expenses, how paid. — All expenses incurred by the secretary of state in performing the duties under the law relating to the disposition of overflowed and swamp lands shall be paid from the state treasury upon warrants upon the general revenues of the state. ­­-------- (…

241.070. Compensation of persons appointed to designate lands. — Whenever the lands contemplated in sections 241.010 to 241.280, in any county, shall have been designated and reported by the person or persons appointed in such county for that purpose, the county commission shall …

241.080. Title to be conveyed by patents. — In order to convey to the different counties in the state of Missouri a complete title to all the swamp and overflowed lands which have been granted and patented to the state of Missouri by an act of congress, entitled "An act to enable…

241.090. Preparation of patents. — Whenever possible so to do, all the overflowed and swamp lands situate in any one county shall be included in one patent and described numerically by sections, townships and ranges, having due regard for county lines. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 127…

241.100. Lands hereafter patented to be also conveyed. — It shall be the duty of the officers named in section 241.080 to convey by patent or patents, as provided in said section, all such overflowed and swamp lands as may hereafter be patented to the state of Missouri by the gov…

241.110. County recorder to record patents. — It shall be the duty of the secretary of state to forward all patents, when the same shall be executed and recorded as required by sections 241.010 to 241.280, to the clerks of the several county commissions of this state, and so soon…

241.120. Patents to be evidence of title. — All patents issued, executed and duly recorded, as required by sections 241.010 to 241.280, or a certified copy of the same, which shall include all the land therein described, or which shall include any separate and distinct descriptio…

241.130. Construction of this law. — Nothing in this law shall be so construed as to require the secretary of state to patent to the several counties, as provided in sections 241.010 to 241.280, any swamp or overflowed lands heretofore patented to the several counties in which su…

241.140. County recorder to be lawful custodian. — In all counties where lands have been sold, patents issued, and the same have been recorded, the clerk of the county commission in whose office any such records may now remain, or that hereafter may be made under the laws respect…

241.150. Control over patented lands vested in county commissions. — The several county commissions shall have full power and control over all such overflowed and swamp lands patented to their respective counties under the provisions of sections 241.010 to 241.280, and to sell an…

241.155. County commission may employ counsel, when. — The county commission of any county in this state owning swamp or overflowed lands may employ special counsel or attorneys to represent the county in prosecuting or defending any suit by or against the county for the recovery…

241.160. Sale of public lands by county commission — procedure. — Whenever, in the judgment of said county commission, it shall be to the interest of said counties to do so, they shall order the sheriff to sell the same at public vendue to the highest bidder, after giving sixty d…

[Repealed or reserved.]

241.180. Cancellation of contract when process cannot be served, how. — If the purchaser of any swamplands has absented himself from this state, so that no process at law can be served on him, the county commission of the county where the said swampland lies may, upon the applica…

241.190. Insufficient title cause for cancellation. — Whenever the county commissions of this state shall have sold swamp or overflowed lands to which they are unable to make a good and sufficient title, the said commissions are hereby authorized and empowered, with the consent o…

241.200. Power to cancel discretionary with commission. — This law shall not be so construed as to make it obligatory upon any county commission to rescind or cancel any contract or sale heretofore made, but the same shall be wholly discretionary with said commission, having in v…

241.210. Lands may be resold, when — conditions. — In all cases where swamplands have been or may hereafter be sold, which had been previously sold and patented by any county commission in this state, to a bona fide purchaser, it shall be the duty of the county commission of the …

241.220. Issuance of patent, how. — Whenever full payment shall be made for any of said land by the purchaser thereof, the county commission shall cause the clerk of said commission to issue to the purchaser or purchasers, his or their heirs or assigns, a patent for the same, whi…

241.230. Errors in description, how corrected. — The county commission of any county in this state, authorized by law to sell and make title to bona fide purchasers to any swamp and overflowed lands granted by the state to the county for the purposes of reclamation, shall, by an …

241.240. Net proceeds of sales to county school fund. — The net proceeds of the sales of all such lands, after defraying the expenses of draining, reclaiming, surveying and selling the same, as provided in sections 241.010 to 241.280, shall be paid into the county treasury and be…

241.250. Drainage and reclamation commissioners, appointment, duties. — As soon as the several county commissions shall be furnished with the proper description of lands contemplated in section 241.010, they may have said overflowed and swamp lands drained and reclaimed, so as to…

241.260. County commissions may borrow money, how. — To enable the county commissions to carry the provisions of sections 241.010 to 241.280 into effect, they shall have power to borrow money, and to issue bonds of the county therefor, in the manner and to the extent provided in …

241.270. Landowners may protest, when — proceedings. — 1. If the owners of any lands through which any ditch or levee is proposed to be made or cut, by virtue of any of the provisions of sections 241.010 to 241.280, shall notify the drainage and reclamation commissioners that he …

241.290. Abandoned riverbeds and islands granted counties for schools. — All lands belonging to the state, not otherwise appropriated under the laws thereof, which have been formed by the recession and abandonment of their waters of the old beds of lakes and rivers in this state,…

241.291. Mississippi and Missouri River islands to conservation commission or park board, exceptions — to county, when. — 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 241.290 to 241.340, all lands belonging to the state, not otherwise appropriated, which have been formed by the …

241.300. Future abandoned riverbeds and islands granted counties. — All lands that may hereafter form by the recession from and abandonment of the bed of any lake or river, and islands which may hereafter form in the navigable waters of said state, which would otherwise have beco…

241.309. Counties may sell land, how — proceeds, how used. — All counties in which such islands are situated may, subject to the provisions of section 241.311, cause them to be appropriately surveyed and sell and convey them in the same manner as lands are sold under the provisio…

241.310. Lands may be sold, how — disposition of proceeds. — All counties in which any such lands are situated shall have the power to cause the same to be appropriately surveyed, and to sell and convey them in the same manner that the swamplands acquired under the act of congres…

241.311. Land to be auctioned to highest bidder. — Any land sold under the provisions of sections 241.291, 241.309 and 241.311 or under the provisions of sections 241.290 to 241.340, shall be sold only at public auction to the highest bidder. ­­-------- (L. 1971 H.B. 140 § 4)

241.320. Lands to be surveyed, how. — In surveying the lands and islands referred to in sections 241.290 to 241.340 the surveyor shall connect the survey thereof with some established section, quarter section, meander or other United States survey corner conveniently near or adja…

241.330. Limitation against counties. — No statute of limitations shall begin to run against the counties in which any such lands are situated to prevent them from recovering or acquiring such lands, for twenty years after the passage of this law; but after that date such countie…

241.340. County commission may employ surveyors and attorneys. — The county commission may employ surveyors to survey said lands and islands, and attorneys to represent them in any suits pertaining thereto, and shall pay such surveyors and attorneys reasonable compensation for th…

242.010. Owner defined — delegation of representation and voting rights. — 1. The word "owner" as used in sections 242.010 to 242.690 shall mean the owner of the freehold estate, as appears by the deed record, and it shall not include reversioners, remaindermen, trustees, or mort…

242.020. Formation of drainage districts. — 1. The owners of a majority of the acreage in any contiguous body of swamp, wet or overflowed lands, or lands subject to overflow, situate in one or more counties in this state, may form a drainage district for the purpose of having suc…

242.030. Notice of application — form. — 1. Immediately after such articles of association shall have been filed, the clerk in whose office the articles of association have been filed shall give notice by causing publication to be made once a week for four consecutive weeks in so…

242.040. Objections — procedure. — 1. Any owner of real estate or other property in said proposed district, who may not have signed said articles of association, objecting to the organization and incorporation of said drainage district, shall, on or before the first day of the te…

242.050. Annexation of land to organize district. — 1. The board of supervisors of any drainage district organized under the provisions of sections 242.010 to 242.690, for and in its behalf, or the owners of a majority of the acres in any tract or tracts of swamp, wet or overflow…

242.060. Consolidation of adjacent districts. — 1. Any two or more adjacent districts, whether incorporated in the same or different counties, may be united and consolidated in one district, and such new district and the board of supervisors thereof shall have the rights, powers …

242.070. Reorganization of districts. — Any drainage district of Missouri heretofore organized, in process of organization or that may hereafter be organized under the provisions of any previous or existing laws of this state, either general or special, may elect in the manner he…

242.080. Reorganized districts — articles of association. — 1. Any drainage district heretofore organized and any district that is now in process of organization or any drainage district that may hereafter be organized under any previous or existing law of this state may organize…

242.090. Notice of reorganization hearing — form. — Immediately after such articles of association have been filed the circuit clerk in whose office the same have been filed shall give notice in the manner and for the time specified in section 242.030, said notice to be in substa…

242.100. Procedure after notice of reorganization. — After said notice has been so given the matter shall be proceeded with in the same manner as is provided for where articles of association for the formation of a drainage district have been filed. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 12382)…

242.110. Records and funds delivered to secretary of board. — Immediately after the election of the board of supervisors as provided for in section 242.100, and the election of a president and secretary, and the secretary has filed the necessary bond and it has been approved, he …

242.120. Liability of reorganized district — consolidation. — When an existing drainage district has been reorganized under sections 242.010 to 242.690 the board of supervisors will not be required to follow such steps or requirements of sections 242.010 to 242.690 as are inconsi…

242.130. Extending time of corporate existence. — 1. Whenever the board of supervisors of any district organized under sections 242.010 to 242.690 or any previous enactment of the general assembly of the state of Missouri providing for the organization of drainage districts by th…