Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-02-10
AN ACT

improvement, and 10 make further
provisions for The prosecution and
completion of said Improvement
SEC. l. BE il enacted By the General
Assembly of the State of Iowa, Thai
there shall be Commissioners and Reg.
lister Of the Des Moines River Improve.
meht elected by the qualified electors Of
this State, on the first Monday of April,
1853. who shall hold t,leir respective Off
ces for the term of two years, and until
their successors are elected and qualified;
the said election to be conducted as other
State elections are, and returns made,
canvassed. and certified. as provided in
the case Of other State officers, and the
said Commits sioner and Register to quail
ify as is provided in sections three and
| four of San act 10 secure more viyor-
GUS prosecution and early completion OF
the Des Moines River Improvement, -
&C.; approved February 5sh, 1851.
SEc. 2. That, for the purpose Of aid
ing the Comm. issioner in conducting and
concluding any contract or agreement IN.
der The provisions Of this act, or any 9th.
er act on The subject of the Des Mnines
River improvement, George G.. Wright
of Van Buren, county, and Uriah Biggs
Of Wapello county, are here appointed
his assistants, with equal powers with
said Commissioner in making and deter
mining such contracts, an agreements, as
are mentioned in section six OF this act.
SEC. 3. Prior To The said assistants en-
,ering upon the discharge of the duties
devolved upon them, they shall each take
and subscribe an oath, that they will faith.
fully and impartially discharge their said
duties, which said oath shall be filed with
The Register.
SEC. 4. The duties Of said assistants
shall no, extend any further than to aid
said Commissioner in negotiating such
Contracts. or agreements, as are contem
plated in this act, or any other act passed
at the present session Of the General AS
semb,y, and any thing in this act, or any
act on the subject of the Des Moines
River Improvement, which vests authori-
~ and power in the Commissioner and
Register TO make contracts and agree.
menls, lis herein SO modified as 10 vest said
power and authority in the said Commits.
sioner and the two assistants.
SEC. 5. The compensation to each of
the said assistants, shall be three dollars
per day for each day he may be nccessa
rily engaged IN negotiating as aforesaid, to
be paid out Of any moneys arising from
the sales Of lands granted to this State to
aid in improving said river.
SEC. g. That the said Commissioner
and assistants, in contracting for means 10
carry on said improvement, shall not
make any contract or agreement with any
company or individual under the pro is
ions OF this act. or any law now IN force,
or which may be in force at the time of
making said contract or agreement s,ipu
lated for at least thirteen hundred th,ns-
and dollars to be faithfully expended in
the payment of the debts and liabilities
of said improvement, and to the compile
ton thereof TO the greatest extent prac-
iicahle; Provided, that if it be necessary
in order TO effect contract or agreement
Of the character in this section mentioned,
such contract or agreement may convey
to any company or individual The right tu
| the tolls and water rents arising from
said improvements for such length OF
time and upon such terms as they may
deem expedient; Provided any Of said
lands which may be claimed by bona tfie
settlers at the time of the taking effect OF
act may be purchased by such settlers a,
any time before the first day of Decem
Der next, under such rules and regula-
lions as may be established by said Com
missioner and Register; and any contract
made as herein contemplated sha,lreserye
to said settlers the right 10 purchase as a.
foresaid. one hundred and sixty acres al
the rate of one dollar and twenty-five
cents per acre; Provided. however. thai
where such bona file settlement is now
surveyed, said settlers shall have the right
to purchase their said lands under the
regulations aforesaid, at any time within
one year after said lands are surveyed, a,
the late per acre above named.
SEC. Z. Ii no contract or agreemen,
shall have been made by saidCommission-
ioner and assistants, on or before the frs
day OF September, 1853, Of the character
of that required IN section six of this act,
then from that day the compensation to
all officers connected with said improve
menl, execp, the Register and one Engin
eer, whom he shall employ, shall cease,
and all operations connected with said
work except such parts as are now IN
der contract. shall be suspended until
further legislation can be had on the sub
ject. But the Register shall, never.he-
less. cause the unfinished work, moi no "
under contract, TO be placed in such con.
dition as to prevent injury. and shall also
see that all the property OF the State,
connected with the work, is carefully
preserved, and exercise all other powers
connected with said improvement now
vested by law in the Commissioner ex.
cept as herein otherwise provided.
| SEC. 8. If at any time subsequent &c
the first Of September, 1853, the Regis
ter shall receive propositions from any
individual. or company, which he deems
Of sufficient importance. he may submit
the same to the Commissioner and the
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