The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-05-20
No. 44.
AN ACT

To charter the Upper Red River Raft Com
pany of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas 1,
providing for the removal of the raft in
Red river from Hurricane Bluffs, Louisi
ana, to the Arkansas State line, and au
thorizing said company to collect tolls on
freight passing through the improvements
ID Of said company, and providing the
means for collecting the same.
+ WHEREAS, In order to clear out the raft
now obstructing the navigation OF Red
river above Shreveport, Louisiana, and by
80 doing open over eight hundred miles Of
river navigation now closed to commerce,
and to increase the trade Of New Orleans !;
and,
Whereas, The removal of said raft is a
work Of great public improvement, in which
the State of Louisiana and the commerce OF
New Orleans is deeply interested there
fore, -......... s ga.... ..-
SECTION l. Be it enacted by the Senate
| and House of Representatives of the State
Of Louisiana in general assembly convened,
| That James r. Tucker, r. S. Venables, John
In Bofinger, John n Wheaton, j. T. Irwin
FL Hebert Emery, Henry w. Gribble, w. b.
Stephens, g. W. Sentell, Isaac Coleman, Il.
S. Hammond, ?. Galway, J. L. Thompson,
William Z. jenkins, r. d. Atwater, Il. L..
Brge, T. j. Hough, James Leake, George
White Hill, James Pogne, of Louisiana, and
Travis G. Wright Of the State Of Texas,
and their associates and successors, be and
ara hereby incorporated as body polite,
under the name Of the Upper Red River
Raft Company Of Louisiana. Arkapsas and
Texas, which company shall remain in force
/ and have continued succession for the term
/ of twenty five years from and after the pas
sage of this ac!, and under that name and
style, they shall have aammon seal, sue
and be sued, plead and be impieaded, and
possess all and sevcrally the rights and pri-
viieges incident to and belonging to similar
interpretations, according to the laws Of the
State of Louisiana.
SEC. Q. Be il further enacted, ETC., That
the said corporation is hereby vested with
the exclusive right of removing the raft
now existing In Red river, above Shreye-
port, Louisiana and in the State of Louisi-
| ana, and to render said river navigable by
the removal Of said raft, and to keep the
said river navigable, the said corporation
shall have the right of way, on both banks
or sides Of Red river, above Shreveport,
Louisiana, in the State of Louisiana, and to
cut and use snch canals, lakes, and bayous,
as they may deem necessary to open navi-
CATION through or aroniid said ralr,
SEC. 8. Be it further enacted. etc, That
when said river is made navigabie by said
corporation, through or around said raft,
| from Shreveport. Louisiana, 10 the Arkansas
state ling, the said corporation is hereby
empowered and authorized to collect the
following tolls on all freights passing
| through the same: On every bale Of cotton,
thirty cents; on every hogshead, thirty
cents, on every barrel, fifteen cents on
every cask or tierce, twenty y-five cents; and
! on all other articles OF merchandise in pro-
portion to said rates; and that said toll
| shall be paid by the boat or craft transport
/ ing saaa 10 the officer authorized to receive
same by Che said company, at such time
and place as may be designated by said
company; and any boat or craft refusing
to comply with the provisions of this char
ter, or the bylaws governing this corpora
tion, shall pay fine of one Thousand
i($l000) dollars for each and every offense,
to be recovered before any court Of conpe-
tent Jurisdiction.
/ SEC. A. Be it further enacted, etc, That
the domicile Of said corporation shall be
/ in the city Of New Orleans; that the capital
lstock Of said corporstian shall be one mil
| lion of dollars, to be represented by ter
thousand shares Of one hundred dollars
each, with the liberty to increase the SAINT
as provided by law; that the ineorporators
herein nasaed shall constitute cx ofiicio I
board of directors, and as such are author.
ized to open books of subscription to tht
i capital stock Of said company, and to regu.
1 late the manner and time of paying tEs
Il same. All powers Of this corporation arr
vested id said board Of directors, who shal
elect by ballot their proper officers, a ma
iority Of the board being necessary for !
quorum, and decision Of such majorit,
shall be q valid corporate act. That sai'
board Of directors shall remain in Office un
til the first Monday In January. 1879, ant
annually thereafter, on said date, ther
shall be an election, by ths stockholders Q
said corporation, for board of eleven di
!. rectors thirty days previous notice bein
given in at least two newspapers publishe'
in the city of New Orleans, and one In th