2080 UNITED STATES. [ART. 96

1888, art. 96, sec. o. 1874, ch. 395, sec. 1.

5. Whenever the United States are desirous of purchasing
or procuring the title to any tract, piece or parcel of land
within the boundaries or limits of this State, for the purpose
of erecting thereon any light-house, beacon-light, range-light,
light keeper's dwelling, forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards,
buoys, public piers, or necessary public buildings or improve-
ments connected therewith, and cannot agree with the owner
thereof as to the price and for the purchase thereof; or if the
owner be feme covert, under age, non compos mentis, or out of
the county wherein the said land lies, or for any other cause
is incapable of making a perfect title to said lands, the United
States, by any agent authorized under the hand and seal of
any member of the president's cabinet, may apply by petition
in writing to the circuit court for the county where the land
lies; which petition shall be filed with the clerk of said court,
to have the said land condemned for the use and benefit of the
United States; and any such agent of the United States may,
for the purpose of ascertaining its bounds and quantity, enter
upon the lands, without injury thereto, which the United States
may desire to purchase for any of the purposes aforesaid.

Ibid. sec. 6. 1674, ch. 395, sec. 2.

6. Said petition shall state the bounds and quantity of the
land to which the United States desire to obtain title and the
public purposes for which said land is desired; and the names
of the owner or owners thereof, and where they respectively
reside, and whether they are adults or under age, and whether
married or single, or non compos mentis; if said facts are
known to the agent filing said petition, or if said agent does
not know any fact which he is hereinbefore required, if known
to him, to state, he shall state in said petition that he does not
know said fact.

Ibid. sec. 7 1874, ch. 395, sec. 3.

7. Every such petition must be verified by an affidavit to be
taken before the clerk of said court, and annexed thereto, of
the said agent of the United States, that the statements therein
contained are true to the best of his knowledge and belief;
and where said petition shall state that it is unknown where
any such owner resides or whether he is an adult or under
age, married, single, or non compos, mentis, the said agent shall
further make affidavit that he has used all reasonable efforts