It shall be the duty of such officers or employees of the Bureau of Land Management as may be designated by the Secretary of the Interior, in pursuance of instructions from the Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate, to certify and affix the seal of the office to all patents for public lands, and to attend to the correct engrossing, recording, and transmission of such patents. They shall prepare alphabetical indexes of the names of patentees, and of persons entitled to patents; and shall prepare such copies and exemplifications of matters on file or recorded in the Bureau of Land Management as the Secretary or such officer may from time to time direct.
(R.S. §459; 1940 Reorg. Plan No. III, §4, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2108,
R.S. §459 derived from acts Apr. 25, 1812, ch. 68, §8,
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,
"Bureau of Land Management" substituted for "General Land Office" and references to the Commissioner were changed to Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate on authority of section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946. See note set out under section 1 of this title.
Office of Recorder of General Land Office abolished and functions of recorder directed to be exercised under direction and supervision of Secretary of the Interior, through such officers or employees of General Land Office as he may designate, on authority of section 4 of Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. See also sections 8 and 9 of Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940 for provisions relating to transfer of records, property, personnel, and funds.