Joseph McKenna

“ The petition of the surveyor general of New Mexico describes the petitioners as 'residents of the town of Las Vegas and its vicinity;' and he manifestly regarded it a claim on behalf of the town, stated it from that standpoint, and reported it to Congress as a claim by the town of Las Vegas. ”

“ This law gives the land to the Vegas town claim, and allows the Baca heirs to take an equal quantity of vacant land, not mineral, in New Mexico, to be located by them in square bodies, not exceeding five in number. To give this law timely effect you will give priority, in surveying private land claims, to this claim, particularly as it is in the vicinity,-about 4 miles from the outside of the public surveys. You will proceed to have the exteriors of the Las Vegas town claim properly run and connected with the line of the public surveys. ”