New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-27
The Fort ST, Philip Canal.

I We are indebted to the Hon. William II
Stone. OF the Committee on Railways anC
Canals, for a copy of the House bill provd
ing for the construction OF the Fort st
Philip canal, which was recommitted On the
! sixteenth instant. and ordered to be printed
Be it enacted by the Senate and House OF
Representatives of the United States OF
America in Congress assembled, That shin
canal to connect the Mississippi river with
| the Gulf of Mexico commencing at some
| convenient poiut on the Mississippi river
| below Fort st. Philip, on the east side of
| said river, and terminating at, some con-
venient point in Breton pass, in the Gulf of
Mexico, shall be constructed and main
! tanned at the expense and under the super
vision and contro! OF the government of the
United States.
SEC. .. That the dimensions of SAID canal
shall not be less than two hundred feet
vide at the bottom throughout the trunk,
and with not less than tWenty-seyen feet i'll
depth of water, with guard gates, waste
weifs, locks, lock houses. basins. bridges,
and other erectiOns and fixtures as NAV be
necessary for the safe and convenient navi.
CATION of the said canal. and that the ioca.
ton Of said canal shal. be tia: indicated in
the report Of the engineers.
SEC. ). That the Secretary Of War shall
cause said canal to b.. made and constructed
through the lands Indie te3 In the repor, of
the engineers.
SEC. 4. That said cana! shall a. all times.
night and day. be open to the tree use and
Navigation of all vessels and craft belong.
ing to the United States or any Of its citi-
zens, and. until otherwise provided. to all
nations In commercial amitv with the
United States. free from toll or charges:
that after its completion said canal shall
h.. !
the expense OF the United States. and upe.
rated under the supervision of an officer to
be detailed by the Secretary OF War for
said duty and under his orders, and said
canal shal! be q military. naval. postal and
public highway. connecting the Mississippi
river and the Gulf Of Mexico; that the adj.
miralty and maritime jurisdiction Of the
United States be extended and established
over saiI canal to the same extent as it
exists over the navigable waters Of the
United States connected thereby. The
Secretary Of War shall have power to
establish all needtnl rules and regulations
not inconsistent with the laws of the United
States. concerning the use and navigation
thereof. and provide such fines for the VIC.
lation of such rules and regulations as may
be By bin deemed expedieHt, and a copy
thereof shall! he flied in the Office of the
clerk OF the Unitel States District Court
|oi liC NlStIitI VI lIoulSldUSs anu printed
copies OF said rules shall be framed and
hung in conspicuous place on board all
canal and river :owboats. as well as in
the offices at either end of the canal, also
in the public rooms of the New Orleans
Chamber of Commerce and Cotton Ex.
change, under penalty Of $500 for each
omission. une-half for the benefit of any in.
;o.rner. and one-halt for the beneii. of the
canal repair fund: provided. that Congress
may at any time revise or abrogate such
rules.
SEC. ). That no expenditure shall be made
or authorized tor the construction of said
Fort st. Philip cana! uutil q valid title to
the lands for the line of said canal, as indi.
Gated in the repoys Of the engineers. shall
be vested III the United States. and until the
State OF Louisiana shall! cede its Jurisdiction
over said site for the construction of said
canal. and shall also duly release and re.in.
luish 20 the United States the right to tax
or in any way assess said site. or the prop
srty OF the. United States tina. may be
durin. the tim. that the United
States siiai. be or remain the owner thereof.
TIE House Committee OF Railroads and
Canals haze agreed 20 report in favor Of
the bill.