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Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102

§887 Deposits for Surveys of Lands Granted to Railroads

Title 43 › CHAPTER 21 — GRANTS IN AID OF RAILROADS AND WAGON ROADS › § 887

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

A railroad claiming federal land and wanting unsurveyed parts measured must file a written request with the officer the Secretary of the Interior names and deposit money in a U.S. government depository to pay for the survey and its review. Then the Secretary, that officer, or the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey must have the survey done. The government will give certificates for those deposits. The railroad or its successors may use the certificates like cash to pay for public‑land entries in the states where the surveys were made or to cover survey or office fees owed to the United States. The Secretary must make rules to carry this out.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §887

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

When any railroad company claiming a grant of land under any Act of Congress, desiring to secure the survey of any unsurveyed lands within the limits of its grant, shall file an application therefor in writing with such officer as the Secretary of the Interior may designate, and deposit in a proper United States depository to the credit of the United States a sum sufficient to pay for such survey and for the examination thereof pursuant to law and the rules and regulations of the Department of the Interior under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate, it shall thereupon be the duty of the Secretary or such officer, or the Director of the United States Geological Survey, as the case may be, to cause said lands to be surveyed. For any deposits made by any railroad company hereunder, certificates shall be issued, which may be used by such railroad company, its successors or assigns, to the same extent as cash is now allowed in payment of entries of public lands under existing law and regulations for any public lands of the United States in the States where the surveys were made, or for any survey or office fees due the United States from such railroad company on account of surveys of lands within its grant. The Secretary of the Interior shall provide such rules and regulations as may be necessary for carrying out the foregoing provisions.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“United States Geological Survey” substituted for “Geological Survey” in first undesignated paragraph pursuant to provision of title I of Pub. L. 102–154, set out as a note under section 31 of this title. Abolition of Office of Surveyor General and

Transfer of Functions

Act Mar. 3, 1925, abolished office of surveyor general and transferred administration of all activities in charge of surveyors general to Field Surveying Service under jurisdiction of United States Supervisor of Surveys.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out under section 1451 of this title. “Supervisor of Surveys,” changed to “such officer as the Secretary of the Interior may designate,” and two references to “Commissioner of the General Land Office,” changed to “Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate,” and “Secretary or such officer,” respectively, on authority of section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946. See note set out under section 1 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 887

Title 43, Public Lands

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102