64 Pa. Stat. § 414
It shall be the duty of the Surveyor-General to cause to be entered, in a book to be kept for that purpose, the name of each person applying for a patent or patents, the number of patents applied for by him, and the time when such application is made, which book shall be open to the inspection of any person applying to view the same; and the Surveyor-General, Receiver-General and Secretary of the Land-Office are hereby enjoined to cause the said patents to be made out, and the business thereof completed, as it respects their respective offices, agreeably to the priority of applications for the same, without respect to persons, unless the issuing of such patents is stayed by caveat being entered against the title of the person applying for the same, or other legal objections: Provided always, That if any citizen of this commonwealth, who shall reside at any distance not less than one hundred miles from the city of Philadelphia, shall apply for any number of patents not exceeding three, he shall be entitled to a preference, but that preference shall not be granted twice to the same person.
64 P.S. § 414