Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-15

States harmless from any damage that may ac-
crue to any person or persons hy the constrnc-
ton OF said walls. ietties, dakes. leyees ana
further, That unless the construction OF the
proposed work shall be commenced within one
Be diiieently prosecuted By the expenditure OF
at least 500 900 per snnum thereafter IN the
prosecution thereof until twenty feet depth OF
water over the outer bar Is Obtained, me grant
of privileges herein shall be forfeited: and un-
less the said company, their associates, assigns,
successors or legal representatives, snalL secure
a navigable depth over said outer bar OF fifteen
feet OF water within three years after the date OF
the approval OF this act, ana naFlgabls depth
Of twenty feet Of water over SAID par within nve
years of said date, then congress may revoke
the privileges herein granted In relation to sa Id
improvement.
ments and auxiliary works have been COM
pleted as herein provided, and said depth OF
twenty feet has been obtain ed, the United
States shall have the right TO pay the sald COM
pany, or their assigns, successors or legal rep.
resentatives. the value OF the WORKS constructed
under this act, or under or by virtue OF any au-
thority granted by the state OF Texas, and on
such payment being made by the United states
all rights to said work on the part OF SAID parties
shall cease. but nothing in this act shall be con-
strued as compelling the government to take
possession of and pay for said works unless so
desired. Nothing within the provisions OF t1is
act shall be construed as sulnoriAng tne Aho
company to charge or collect tolls or tonnage
upon boats or vessels navigating said channel
and the navigation Of the same shall be free.
The following is the report of the COM
mittee in full:
The committee on rivers and harbors, to whom
was referred the senate bill No. S4I?, entitled
IAN act for improving Arkansas Pass, mas con,
sidered the same, and am instructed by said
committee to report the bill back to the house
with the recommendation that 1t do pass. The
bill authorizes ''the Arkansas Pass harbor COM
pany, - a body corporate, duly chartered by the
state of Texas, to do all work Of harbor improve
ment at Arkansas Pass as may be necessary TO oo-
tain and maintain . depth of not less than TWEEN
ty feet OF water on the outer bar at that point;
Snd this work shall be constructed In such man
nef IS not to impede or interfere with naVlga-
ton; and 1t is provided that the SAID company
shall hold the government of the United States
harmless from any damage that may accrue to
any person or persons by the construction Of
said works.
The bill expressly stipulates that ''the Aran-
sas Pass harbor company shall commence the
work OF harbor improvement WITHIN one year
from the time that the bill becomes law, and
be diligently prosecuted by the expenditure OF st
least $500 600 per annum thereafter IN the prose-
ontion thereof until twenty ieet oil water over
the outer bar is obtained. The company is also
required to obtain depth OF at least hfteen feet
on the outer bar within three years after the APP
proval of the act, and a navigable depth OF
twenty feet within i've years from said date; and
upon its failure to do so congress may revoke the
privileges granted to said company In relation
TO said improvements.
At any time after the completion of said works
OF harbor improvement the United States has
the option Of taking the same upon paying the
the said company shall not be authorized to col
lect tolls or tonnage upon boats or vessels navl-
eating said channel, and that the navigation of
the game shah be free. 1t is the opinion,ot the
committee that thA-ipterests Of. the goPe<pnent
and OF the peopleSya properly gpardFd, and
that the harbor at Aransas Pass sshoald hp
speedily improved, and because Of these consits
erstions itrecommends the Passagespf the bill.
Mr.. Kerr Of Iowa-I wotld like t9anquire OF
the gentleman in charge of the bill tksthis Aran-
sas Pass is nGvigsple, and to whom ~ the i'm
proyensents belongf
Mr.. Crain-It is navigable, and thu work is
under the control of the government engineers
under the direction OF the secretary otST9r.
They have been at work there for = numbssaoi
years. This was submitted to me by the clTfef
of engineers, and he has favored it in COM
muncation addressed to the chairman OF the
senate committee on commerce.
Mr.. Kerr Of Iowa. understand at the present
time 1t takes no money out of the treasury.
Mr.. Crain-Not a dollar.
Mr.. Kerr of lowell simply provides that the
government may conduct this work?
Mr.. Crain-That is all that is asked.
Mr.. Sayers-It does not involve the expendi-
turs of dollar by the government.
The motion to suspend the rules and pass the
bill was agreed to, tH o-thirds voting in favor
thereof.