Full text of An Act to Establish a Bureau of Labor

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FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.

SESS. I.

CHs. 121-123, 126, 127.

1884.

Where vessels
"Provided, That vessels arriving at a port of entry in the United
ae enter and un- States, laden with coal, salt, railroad-iron, and other like articles in bulk,
may proceed to places within that collection district to be specially designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, by general regulations or
otherwise, under the superintendence of customs officers, at the expense
of the parties interested, for the purpose of unlading cargoes of the
character before mentioned."
SEC. 30. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of
this act are hereby repealed; and this act shall take effect and be in
force on and after July first, eighteen hundred and eighty-four.
Approved, June 26, 1884.

June 26, 1884

CKAP. 122.-An act to equalize the rank of graduates of the Naval Academy upon
their assignment to the various corps.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United

rad uat es of States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after
the passage
Naval Academy to of this act all graduates of the Naval Academy who are
assigned to the
en
oignin tone line of the Navy, on the successful completion of the six
years course,
Navy.
shall be commissioned ensigns in the Navy.
Grade of unior
SEC. 2. That the grade of junior ensign in the Navy is hereby abol-

ensignlabollshed; ished and the junior ensigns now on the list shall be commissioned
ensigns in the Navy: Provided, That nothing in this act shall be so con-

strued as to increase the number of officers in the Navy now allowed by
law.
SEc. 3. That all acts and parts of acts inconsistent with the provisions
of this act be and the same are hereby repealed
Approved, June 26,1884.

June 28, 184.

CHP. 123.-An act to provide for the administration of oaths to witnesses in matters depending in either House of Congress.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United

MembersofCon- tates of America in Congress assembled, That any member
of either
g
omat admin- House of Congress may administer oaths to witnesses in any matter
nes, et.o it- depending in either House of Congress of which he is a member,

committee thereof.
Approved, June 26, 1884.

June 27, 1884.

or any

C
CH.P.
126-An act to grant letter-carriers at free-delivery offices fifteen days' leave
of absence in each year.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

Letter-carriers States of America in Congress assembled, That all letter-carriers United
at freegranted leave of delivery offices shall be entitled to leave of absence, not to exceed

fifteen
days in each year, without loss of pay; and the Postmaster-General
is

hereby authorized to employ, when necessary, during the time such
leave of absence is granted, such number of substitute letter-carriers
as may be deemed advisable, who shall be paid for services rendered
at the rate of six hundred dollars per annum.
Approved, June 27, 18S4.

June 27, 1884.
Bureau of Labor.
Commissioner.

CHAP. 127.-An act to establish a Burean of Labor.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be established
in the Department of the Interior a Bureau of Labor, which shall be
under the charge of a Commissioner of Labor, who shall be appointed by

FOITY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.

SESS. I.

CHs. 127, 131.

61

1884.

the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The
Commissioner of Labor shall hold his office for four years, and until
his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed,
and shall receive a salary of three thousand dollars a year. The Commissioner shall collect information upon the subject of labor, its relation to capital, the hours of labor, and the earnings of laboring men and
women, and the means of promoting their material, social, intellectual,
and moral prosperity. The Secretary of the Interior upon the recommendation of said Commissioner, shall appoint a chief clerk, who shall
receive a salary of two thousand dollars per annum, and such other employees as may be necessary for the said Bureau: Provided, That the
total expense shall not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars per annum.
During the necessary absence of the Commissioner, or when the office
shall become vacant, the chief clerk shall perform the duties of Commissioner. The Commissioner shall annually make a report in writing
to the Secretary of the Interior of the information collected and collated
by him, and containing such recommendations as he may deem calculated to promote the efficiency of the Bureau.
Approved, June 27,1884.

Salary.
Duties.

Chief clerk, etc.
Salary.
Protiso.

Annual report.

CHAP. 13L--An act to repeal section one of the act entitled "An act making a
rant of lands in alternate sections to aid in the construction and extension of the
Iron Mountain Railroad from Pilot Knob, in the State of Missouri, to Helena, in
Arkansas," approved July fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, and for other

June 28, 1884.

Whereas by the first section of an act of Congress approved July the
fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, there was granted to the State
of Missouri, for the purpose of aiding in the construction and extension
of the Iron Mountain Railroad, from its terminus at Pilot Knob to a point
on the southern boundary-line of the State, every alternate section of
land designated by odd numbers, for ten sections in width on each side
of said road; and
Whereas said Iron Mountain Railroad Company, or its successor, did
not comply with the terms of said act either in time or by the construction of its line in accordance with the location of its line as shown on its
maps filed in the Department of the Interior or otherwise, and never
became entitled to or received any of said lands: Therefore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That section one of the act of

14 Stat., 83.

purposes.

Preamble.

Repealofsection

Congress entitled "An act making a grant of lands in alternate sections lntof act granting
to aid in the construction and extension of the Iron Mountain Railroad, struction of Iron

from Pilot Knob, in the State of Missouri, to Helena, in Arkansas", ap- Mountain Rai Lproved July fourth, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, be, and hereby is road.
repealed; and upon the acceptance by the said Iron Mountain Railroad
Company, its successors or assigns, in writing, under corporate seal,
within six months from the passage of this act, of the terms of this act,
and upon the production to the Secretary of the Interior by said corupany. its successors or assigns, of satisfactory proof that said lands
have not been sold or encumbered by said company, the said Iron Mountain Railroad Company, its successors or assigns, shall be forever re- Release of cornleased from any and all obligations imposed by said act of July fourth, pasy; conditions.
eighteen hundred and sixty-six; and all of the lands granted bysaid sec- Lands restored
tion one be and they are hereby restored to the public domain for dis- to the public do.

IKpsition under the public-land laws of the United States: Provided, main; proviso.
That all pre-emption and homestead entries heretofore allowed upon
any of said lands, not in excess of the legal quantity, be, and they are
hereby, confirmed: And provided further, That all persons residing on
any of said lands at the date of the passage of this act shall have a prior
right to acquire the same, not excelling one hundred and sixty acres,