New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-10
BY EGRAPH.
CONGRESS.
Senate.

Senate.
WASHINGTON, December 9.-Mr. Alcorn,
of Mississippi, introduced bill to provide
tor the construction of levees on the Missis
sippi river. Referred to tho Committee on
Levees.
Mr.. Hamilton, of Texas, introduced bill
to erect public buildings at Austin. Texas.
Referred to Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds.
Several financial bills were discussed. Mr..
Alcorn introduced bill for constructing
levees on the Mississippi. The bill provides
for the construction OF levees and author
izes the chief engineers Of the army to cause
to be made, as soon as practicable, such ex
plantations, surveys and drawings as may
be necessary for the location, design and ex-
ecution of complete system OF levees tor
the reclamation Of the Mississippi between
Cairo and the Balize. the work to be let out to
contractors and executed under the super
intendence of the Secretary of War, and
the Chief Engineer Of the army, pro
vided that disputes as to the location of the
levees shall be decided by an engineer of
the War Department, on the one side, and
on the other by the civil engineers en-
ployed by and at the expense of the State,
county and individual or individuals con-
cerned in each of the said disputes, subject
to final appeal to the Secretary of War.
tary of the Treasury to issue and sell bills
of the United States having not more than
forty years to run, and bearing interest at
a rate not exceeding five per cent per
annum, this issue and sale to be- made from
time to time, as may be necessary for the
purposes of this act; provided, the said
issue shall not exceed such par aggregate
as may be necessary to realize $50, ,000, 900
in currency.
ctk &box ~,
ceeds of the sales of the bonds shall be set
apart in the treasury, subect to the order
OF the Chief Engineer, cOuntersigned by the
Secretary of War, for the expenses of the
survey, superintendent and construction
of this system Of levees; provided that this
act shall not be held to apply to any drain
age district in which the State or States,
levee district or districts, county or coun-
ties and individuals concerned shall not
have complied, within two years from
the date of this act to the following condi-
tons of its operations, that is to say: First,
all the swamp or overhOwed lands held and
owned by any State, or States, within the
drainage district shall be ceded to the United
States; secondly, all right and title in the
lands embraced within the base of the said
levee, with full jurisdiction, over the same
shall be relinquished without charge to the
United States, and the right to borrow
earth on either side, or both sides of that base,
for a breadth not exceeding 200 feet shall be
conveyed for the purpose Of constructing
the levee to the United States without
charge; thirdly, tax ON the drainage dis
trict sufficient in the opinion of the Secre-
tary OF War for the maintenance of the
levees within that district at their original
size and strength be placed at the dis
posal of the Secretary Of War annually for
the repairs of these levees, beginning in the
first year after their completion; the man
ner of levying. collecting and paying over
satisfactory to the Secretary Of War; pro-
vided further, that nothing herein con-
tanned shall be held to cause delay in ccm-
mencing the explorations, surveys and lcca-
tions necessary for entering ON the execu-
ton OF the said levee works.
The sixth section provides that the levees
within each drainage district shall be the
property OF the United States, and shall be
policed, repaired and protected from tres
system as may be hereafter determined by
law.
The seventh section provides that this act
shall be in force from and after its passage.
Senator Alcorn was appointed ON the
Committee of Mines and Mining,
The Vice President gav6 notice he would
be absent several weeks, suggesting the
election OF speaker pro tenn.
The Senate then adjourned.
House.
The proceedings in the House to-day were
of lively character. After the passage of
bill for the redemption Of the twenty mil
lions loan of 1858, the question of the in
creased salary bill came up and was dis
cussed until the hour of adjournment. The
two chief advocates of the repeal who ap-
peared on the stage to day were Messrs
Cox, of New York, and Lawrence, of Ohio
The former was pretty thoroughly riddlsd
by Mr.. Negley. of Pennsylvania, while Law
renee was made the butt and laughing
stock of the whole house, because he had to
confess, that as a member OF Congress in
1866 he had pocketed $4,000 of back pay,
under circumstances quite as discreditable
as those which characterized the last salary
grab.
The only Southern man who participated in
the discussion was Mr.. Lynch, OF Mississippi,
who boldly avowed that the Southern mem
bers were opposed to any reduction. and at
least wanted that no reduction should ap-
ply to the present Congress. On the whole
the salary grabbers we're in the ascendant.
A vote will be asked but hardly reached
tomorrow.