Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-01-05
The Government Property at HaTper's
Ferry,

Since the passage of the bill for the sale of
the Government property at Harper's Ferry,
we have heard numerous inquiries in.relation
to the specific terms upon which the property
was to be disposed of. For the information
of those interested, we publish the bill as it
passed the two houses of Congress, and as it
appears in the official proceedings
AN ACT providing for the sale of the lands,
tenements, and water privileges belonging
to the United States at and l,IHarper's
Ferry, in the county Of Vest
Virginia.
Be 1t enacted by the Senate d
Representatives. of the United States
icG in Congress assembled, That the l.
tary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized
and directed to make sale at public auction of
the lands, tenenents, and water privileges
belonging to the United States at and near
Harper's Ferry, in the county Of Jefferson,
West Virginia, except as hereinafter provided,
in such. parcels as shall, in his opinion, be
best adapted to secure the greatest amounted
money therefor, ON credit of one and two
years, taking bond and security from the
purchaser or PURCHASERS for the payment of
the purchase money; and that the proceeds
Of such sale shall be.applied by him as.follows:
ProUided, That no such sale shall be made
until the time, terms, and place thereof shall
have been published in one of, the principal
news-p papers in each ofsthe cities of Washing
ton, New York, and Cincinnati for sixty days
prior to the day of sale =
First, in detrayiRg the expenses of making
said SALE. ~
Second, in refunding to the United States
the principal. sum of purchase money paid
Il nd afa,s
by the United States, and for the erection of
buildings3hereon.
Third, if. any surplus remain, he shall de-.
liver.the same to such agent as the legisl tpre
Of the. State Of West Virginia shall 7apl
to receive the same; but upon condition q
such: surplus shall be received by the. State
West Virginia, to be set apart, held, invested3
used, and applied as part of the school fund
Of that State, under and by virtue of, and in
manner and form as provided id section first
of the tenth article of the constitution of
West Virginia, and for no other purpose
And on making sach sale Of the said lands,
tenements, and Wator privileges, or any part
thereof, the said Secretary OF "Waf is hereby
empowered and required, on, receiving the
purchase money in full, to execute all neces-
sary deeds therefor to the purchaser or pur-
chasers thereof, on behalf of the United States
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That
the Secretary Of War be authorized and di-
rected to convey by deed to Storer College,
an institution of learning chartered by the
State of West Virginia, all those certain por-
tons of the aforesaid property, namely: the
buildings, with the lots on which they stand,
numbered thirty, thirty-onc, and thirty two,
and also building numbered twenty Eve, with
enough of the lot on which it stands to give
a breadth of ten rods on High street, other
wise known as Washington street, all of said
buildings and lots being situated at Harper's
Ferry aforesaid, being the same which have
heretofore been assigned by the War Depart
ment to the Bureau Of Refugees, Freedmen,
and Abandoned Lands, for educational pur-
poses and also to convey by deed to the
proper persons all such other lands and bull
dings, portions of the aforesaid property, as
have heretofore been set apart by the proper
authority for religious, charitable, and town
purposes.
Approved, December Is, 1868.