Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-07-26
WISCONSIN RIvERrMpRovEMENT
The Bin a. Finally Passed.

The Bill a. Finally Passed.
a B1H for the improvement Of iedteI
COMMUNICATION betWeen the MiSSiSSip
pi and Lake Michigan, By the JPis
c0nSin and For Rivers.
SEC. l. That the Secretary of Wa
is hereby authorized to adopt for thu
improvement of the navigation of th'
Wisconsin River such plan as may b'
recommended by the chief of the Blu
reau Of Engineers.
SEC. 2. And be 1t further enacted
That the Secretary aforesaid is here
by authorized to ascertain, at any
time he shall deem proper, within
three years from the passage Of thii
act, the sum which ought in justic,
to be paid to the Green Bay and
Mississippi Canal Company, corpo
ration existing under tha laws o
Wisconsin, rs an equivalent for the
transfer Of all and singular its prop
erty and rights of property in and &c
the line of water communication be.
tween the Wisconsin River aforesaid
and the mouth of Fox River, includ'
ing its locks, dams, canals and fran.
chises, or SO much of the same as
snail, in the judgement of said Sec
rotary, be needed, and to that end is
authorized to join with said company
in appointing board of disinterest.
ed and impartial arbitratore, one oil
whom shall be selected by the Secrc.
tary aforesaid, another by said com.
pany, and the third by the two arbi-
traitors so selected. The Secretary
aforesaid is authorized to-employ a
competent agent or attorney to rep
resent tho interests of the United
States upon the hearing of such
board. Provided, That in making
their award the said arbitrators shall
take into consideration the amount
OF money realized from the sale OF
lands heretofore granted by Congress
TO the state Of Wisconsin to aid in
the construction of said water COM
munication, which amount shall be
deducted from the actual value
thereof as found by said arbitrators.
Sec. 3. and be II further enacted,
That no money shall be expended, on
the work contemplated until the
Green Bay and Mississippi Canal
Company shall make, and file with
the Secretary of War, an agreement
in writing, whereby it shall agree to
grant and convey to the Uuited
States the property and franchises
mentioned in the foregoing section,
upon the terms awarded by the arbi-
traitors. 1t is hereby made the duty
Of the Secretary Of War to transmit
to Congress copy Of the report Of
the arbitrators, upon which Congress
may, at its then present session,
elect to take such property upon
making an appropriation to pay the
amount awarded: PrOUided, That if
the Secretary of War shall not trans
nit to Congress a copy of the report
of the arbitrators, at least sixty days
before the close of its session, Con-
gress may at its next session make
such election and appropriation.
SEC. 4. BE Il further enacted, That
all tolls and revenues derived from
the improvements made or acquired
under the provisions Of this act, after
providing for the current expenses
Of operating and keeping the same
in repair, shall be paid into the
Treasury of the United States, and
whenever the United States shall be
reimbursed FOR all sums advanced
for the same with interest thereon,
then the tolls aforesaid shall be re-
duced to the least sum which, togeth-
er with other revenues properly APP
plicable thereto, if any, shall be suf-
ficient to operate, and keep the i'm
prOvements in repair.
SEC. ). And be 1t further enacted.
That the Secretary Of War shall an
nually report to Congress the prog
ress made in the completion of said
Improvements, the amount expended
thereon, the amount, if any, required
for the succeeding fiscal year, and
the amount of revenue derived there
from.