New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-19
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, THURSDAY DECEMBER 49, 1872

same, with all necessary locks or lock-
| houses, waste weirs, guard gates, basins
| and bridges to be constructed ana com
| pIeted, ready for navigation, at the earliest
| possible day consistent with the public in
! terests; and for that purpose he shall detail
sufficient number OF the most skillful and
| experienced officers from the corps of en-
| gineers as he may deem best and necessary,
who shall superintend and direct said work,
| under such orders and rules as he may pre-
| scribe.
SEC. 5. That the Secretary of War, if in
his judgment it will be to the interest of
the United States, may cause said work. or
any part of the same, to be put under CON
tract to the lowest bidder; and in such case
he shall invite proposals for any work or
| material, or labor for any part of said work,
and there shall be separate proposals and
separate contracts for each work, and also
for each class of material or labor for each
work; and he shall report to Congress,on
the first Monday of December of each year,
or as soon thereafter as may be, all the bids
with the names of the bidders, and to whom
the contracts for the construction of this
work have been awarded Provided, that
no contract shall be made except after pub
lie advertisement for proposals, in such
form and manner as the Secretary of War
may direct, and to secure general notice
thereof; and the same shall only be made
with the lowest responsible bidder thereof
upon security deemed sufficient in the iudg-
ment of said secretary.
SEC, 9. That. until otherwise provided by
law said canal shall, at all times, be open
to the free use and navigation of all vessels
and craft belonging to the United States
and to all citizens thereof, and to all ma
tions in commercial amity with the United
States, free from toll or charges.
SEC. 10. That after its completion, and
until otherwise provided by law, said canal
shall be maintained in good order and re-
pair, and operated, wholly or in part, by
officers of the army detailed for that duty
by the Secretary of War, and under his or
ders. The President, on the advice and
with the consent of the Senate, may APP
point some suitable person to be the super
intendent OF that canal, with a salary not
to exceed $4,000 per annum, who shall hold
his office four years, and until a successor
shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be,
under the direction and orders Of the Secre-
tary of War, to take the general manage
ment and control of said canal, and the re-
pairs thereof.
SEC. II. That the Secretary of War shall
cause said canal to be constructed in &C.
cordance with the provisions Of section one
of this act, and of the size, depth and di-
mansions in every respect specified and set
forth therein, which shall be of permanent
and substantial material, and in good
wOrkmanlike manner. The same, and
every part thereof, and the locks and
waste weirS, basins, bridges, lock houses,
aud other oreCtiOns and fixtures connected
Herewith, and to be constructed thereon,
shall at all times after the same shall be
made, be kept aud maintained in good
order aud repair and condition, for the use
and navigation thereof; and when thus
completed the said canal shall be mill
tary, naval, postal and public highway,
connecting the Mississippi river and the
Gulf of Mexico, and shall be established as
such 10 the United States and the people
thereof forever, and no Instructions shall
be placed therein which shall impede or
interfere with the uninterrupted navigation
thereof
Sec u. That the Secretary Of War shall
have power to establish all needfuI rules
and regulations, nat inconsistent with the
laws of the United States, concerning the
use and navigation thereof, and provide
such fines for the violation of such rules
and regulations as may be deemed expedi-
eut; and a copy thereof shall be filed in the
office of the clerk OF the district court of
the United States for the district of LOUISE
ana and copy thereof, certified by said
clerk under his hand and seal OF his Office.
shall be received in all courts of law as
prima faCie proof that such rules and regU-
latlons We're so established; and suits Tor
the violation of such rules and regulations.
and to recover such forfeitures, may be
prosecuted ia said district court, and in any
district court of the United States where
one of the parties defendant in such suit
may reside; provided, that Congress may at
any time revise or abrOgate any of such
rules and regulations.
SEC. I3. That the sum of $4,000, 000 CIR SO
much thereof as may be necessary, be and
the same is hereby appropriated to carry
into effect the provisions Of this act out Of
any MONEYS iii the treasury Of the United