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OCR Page 1 of 110APPROVED AVE 7
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
bureau OF THE budget
WASHINGTON, 25, D.C.
AUG 5 1946
My dear Mr. Latta:
The Congress has enacted H.R. 3593, "Relating to the disposition of
public lands of the United States situated in the State of Oklahoma between
the Cimarron base line and the north boundary of the State of Texas."
It appears that when the original surveys were extended over the
western part of Oklahoma, it was believed that the Cimarron base line
and the true north boundary of Texas were identical; that, accordingly,
no public land surveys were extended south of the base line; that it
was later ascertained that the Cimarron base line is north of the true
north boundary of the Texas Panhandle and that lying between the two
lines there is a strip of land approximately 156 miles long, which varies
in width from a point to 500 feet and which contains approximately 4,900
acres; and that all the land in question was withdrawn from settlement,
location, sale, or entry, for classification and pending legislation
authorizing the disposal thereof and for the relief of bona fide claimants
by Executive Order of April 17, 1934, which order is still in full force
and effect. It further appears that there are many improvements within
the strip, most of which are the property of Texas landowners, and that
in most cases the Texas landowners considered the Cimarron base line,
which was plainly marked, as the true north boundary of Texas.
It is the purpose of the bill to protect the equities of persons who
used, improved, or cultivated these lands under a claim of ownership in
the mistaken belief that they were not public lands by granting them a
surface title, with the reservation to the United States of all mineral
rights.
A facsimile of the enrolled enactment has been referred to the
Department of the Interior, and its reply, interposing no objection to
the approval of the bill, is attached.
I am authorized by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget to recom-
mend that the bill be approved.
Very truly yours,
Mr. M. C. Latta,
The White House.
Assistant Director,
Legislative Reference.
Enclosures.
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