Us Code § 474 - Surveys; plats and field notes; maps; effect under Act June 4, 1897

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 474 — Surveys; plats and field notes; maps; effect under Act June 4, 1897, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 474. Surveys; plats and field notes; maps; effect under Act June 4, 1897

Surveys, field notes, and plats returned from the survey of public lands designated as national forests undertaken under the supervision of the Director of the United States Geological Survey in accordance with provisions of Act June 4, 1897, chapter 2, section 1, thirtieth Statutes, page 34, shall have the same legal force and effect as surveys, field notes, and plats returned through the Field Surveying Service; and such surveys, which include subdivision surveys under the rectangular system, approved by the Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate as in other cases, and properly certified copies thereof shall be filed in the respective land offices of the districts in which such lands are situated, as in other cases. All laws inconsistent with the provisions hereof are declared inoperative as respects such survey. A copy of every topographic map and other maps showing the distribution of the forests, together with such field notes as may be taken relating thereto, shall be certified thereto by the Director of the Survey and filed in the Bureau of Land Management.

(June 4, 1897, ch. 2, §1, 30 Stat. 34; Mar. 3, 1925, ch. 462, 43 Stat. 1144; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §403, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7876, 60 Stat. 1100; Pub. L. 102–154, title I, Nov. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1000.)


Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act June 4, 1897, chapter 2, section 1, referred to in text, is act June 4, 1897, ch. 2, 30 Stat. 34. For classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

"United States Geological Survey" substituted in text for "Geological Survey" pursuant to provision of title I of Pub. L. 102–154, set out as a note under section 31 of Title 43, Public Lands.


Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

"Field Surveying Service" substituted in text for "office of surveyors-general" by act Mar. 3, 1925. Subsequently, the Service was abolished and its functions transferred to Secretary of the Interior by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, §403, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7876, 60 Stat. 1100, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

"Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate" substituted in text for "Commissioner of the General Land Office" on authority of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.

"Bureau of Land Management" substituted for "General Land Office" on authority of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, set out in the Appendix to Title 5. The "General Land Office" was abolished by Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946 with its functions consolidated with that of the Grazing Service to form a new agency in the Department of the Interior to be known as the Bureau of Land Management.

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 in the Appendix to Title 5.

About This Section

16 U.S.C. § 474 is part of Title 16 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 474

What does United States Code § 474 cover?

Section 474 ("Surveys; plats and field notes; maps; effect under Act June 4, 1897") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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Is this the official text of Us Code law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Us Code official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Us Code attorney.

How does Us Code § 474 apply to my situation?

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Sources & Verification

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