Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102

§909 Forfeiture of Grant on Failure to Make Deposit

Title 43 › CHAPTER 21 — GRANTS IN AID OF RAILROADS AND WAGON ROADS › § 909

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Railroad companies given land by Congress must, within 90 days after the Secretary of the Interior gives notice or demand, deposit enough money to pay for surveying, selecting, and conveying the unsurveyed land named in that notice. If the company fails to do this, its ownership and any claims through it to those named unsurveyed lands end and the lands become the property of the United States. The Secretary will tell the Attorney General, who must then start court action right away to declare the forfeiture and return the lands to the public domain.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §909

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

If any railroad corporation required by law to pay the costs of surveying, selecting, or conveying any lands granted to such corporation, or for its use and benefit, by any Act of Congress, shall, for ninety days from notice or demand by the Secretary of the Interior, as provided by section 908 of this title, neglect or refuse to deposit an amount sufficient to meet the expense of surveying, selecting, and conveying the unsurveyed lands granted to such company, or for its use and benefit, by any Act of Congress, and designated in the notice or demand by the Secretary of the Interior, as aforesaid, the rights, title, and interests of such company, and all those claiming by, through, or under it, in and to the unsurveyed lands designated in the notice of the Secretary, as aforesaid, shall cease and forfeit to the United States; and the Secretary of the Interior shall notify the Attorney General, who shall at once commence proceedings to declare the forfeiture and to restore the lands forfeited to the public domain.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 909

Title 43, Public Lands

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102