§747 — Title 48 Territories and Insular Possessions | U.S. Code

Summary

The United States put certain public property in Puerto Rico that it got from Spain under the peace treaty of December 10, 1898, under the control of the government of Puerto Rico. This covers public bridges, road houses, water-power sites, highways, non‑navigable streams and their beds, underground waters, mines and minerals under private land, property once held by harbor boards, harbor shores, docks, slips, reclaimed land, and other public lands and buildings not kept by the U.S. for public use before March 2, 1917. The Puerto Rico Legislature may make laws about these things, within the limits on its power, and they must be managed for the benefit of the people of Puerto Rico. “Control” here means all rights, title, interest, jurisdiction, and authority over the listed property, including ownership and the ability to manage, lease, use, and develop it.

Title 48, §747

Territories and Insular Possessions — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

All property which may have been acquired in Puerto Rico by the United States under the cession of Spain in the treaty of peace entered into on the 10th day of December 1898, in any public bridges, road houses, water powers, highways, unnavigable streams and the beds thereof, subterranean waters, mines or minerals under the surface of private lands, all property which at the time of the cession belonged, under the laws of Spain then in force, to the various harbor works boards of Puerto Rico, all the harbor shores, docks, slips, reclaimed lands, and all public lands and buildings not reserved by the United States for public purposes prior to March 2, 1917, is placed under the control of the government of Puerto Rico, to be administered for the benefit of the people of Puerto Rico; and the Legislature of Puerto Rico shall have authority, subject to the limitations imposed upon all its acts, to legislate with respect to all matters, as it may deem advisable. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, as used in this section “control” includes all right, title, and interest in and to and jurisdiction and authority over the aforesaid property and includes proprietary rights of ownership, and the rights of management, administration, leasing, use, and development of such property.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section is comprised of that part of section 7 of act Mar. 2, 1917, preceding the proviso clause. The remainder of section 7 is classified to section 748 of this title.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, § 13, 31 Stat. 80.

Amendments

1980—Pub. L. 96–205 inserted provisions defining “control”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Puerto Rico” substituted in text for “Porto Rico” pursuant to act May 17, 1932, which is classified to section 731a of this title.

§747 Public Property Transferred; “control” Defined