The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-02-11


The following are the provisionsl of the
bill which passed Congress, so far as said
bill relates to she improvement Of the
Mississippi navigation
Sac 5. And be it further enacted.
That there shall be appointed By the
President Of the United States, BY and
with the advice aud consent Of the Senate,
three commissioners to improve the Up
per Rapids and Lower or Des Moines
Rapids Of the Mississippi river.
SIC. 4. And be IL further enacted,
That the said commissioners shall forth
with mike careful examination of said
Upper and Lower Rapids OF said river,
add determine upon = suitable plan for
the Improvement aforementioned, which
plan shall provide for the construction OF
canal around each Of said Rapids to d
width OF not less than one hundred feet,
vita locks of not less than two hundred
and seventy Eve feet in length, and not
less than seventy feet in width which
Improvements shall b. made SD as to
insure safe and uninterrupted water
navigation, at all tines during the season
of nayig .tion, OF STEAMBOATS, aud other
vessels drawing four feet water, which
Elan shall be submitted 10 the President
Of the Uaited States for approval.
SEc- 5. Aud be il further enacted,
Tha; upon the approval By tbs President
OF the United States Of the plan sf said
improvement aforesaid. the eaid cpm mmis
siouers are hereby authorized 10 cdnstruct
said canals according to said planl under
the direction Of the Secretary Of thu Treas
ury, aud to prosecute the same 10 com
pietion with such dispatch as the nature
Of the work and the funds apprdpris.ed
by Congress for that purpose shb bii per-
init; aud the said com missionet shall
make report annually 70 the S4cfetsry
of the Treasury on the progress of said
work.
SEC. 6. And be it further enacted,
That the Secretary Of the Treasury shall
have the exclusive control and manage
ment Of said canal, and shall have power
to establish all needful rules and regulas
tions concerning the use aud ma Fig.,iou
thereof, and to tx, alter and modify the
rates Of toll upon said canals, a@d shall
employ such surveyors, coliectdrs and
agents as shall be necessary to collect
said tolls.
SEC. I. .And be it further enacted,
That said commissioners shall haze power
to employ such surveyors. age1 t. and
other persons as they may judge peeessa-
ry to perform the work hereby commit
ted to them, with full power to e nter up.
on. appropriate. use and condei nm any
lands, waters, streams and materials Of
any description necessary for the brosecu-
ton of the improvement contemplated by
this bill: Provided, That when private
property shall be taken for such purpose
the same shall be condemned and com
pensation made therefor in lbe manner
provide by the laws OF the State of Iowa
or of the State of Illinois, as the dase may
be. And it shall be the duty Of said
commissioners to cause all the work done
upon said canals to be let to the lowest
responsible bidder, at public lettings, OF
which sufficient public notice by adver-
tissment in ths public newspapers skall be
given.
SEC g.. And be it farther enacted.
That the revenues derived from sAd ca
nal, over and above the expenseyof man
agement and repairs. shall be- paid into
the Treasury of the United States. and d
separate account shall be kept of such re-
ceipts
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted,
That the Government Of the United
States shall ISSUE the sum Of $1,000, ,00C
in bonds Of the United States, to be is
lsued by the Secretary of the Treasury
fredeemable twenty years from date, bear.
ling interest II the rate Of six per cent
per annun,, payable semi annually, fol
the purpose Of constructing said canals
the said interest to be payable, and the
said bends to be redeemabie, out OF mon
eys 70 be hereafter appropriated by Con
gress and the said principal and interest
tto be reimbursed to the Treasury Of the
/ United States from the tolls and revenue.
of said canals.
SEc. 10. And be it further enacted
That the said bonds shall be issued, at th,
discretion 81 the Secretary Of the Trsasu
y. 10 isuoh sums as may be required from
time to time in the, prosecution Of sale
work. And said commissioners shall fur
i uish vouchers and proofs il duplicate D
the work done asd materials FURNISHED
It such times, under such regulations, !
the said Secretary may prescribe.
i 8Ec. IL. And be i farthst enacted
That said commissioned shall each Re
tcsiys sneb salasJ, not sxoesdi3g $4,000
4 las tho Secretary u The Trsl1nry shall
lvIth .rsspeosivs datiss and ss}vises, u
tsl.s; - ~ oena1i1ll -