St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-11-04

Belt Railroad system Of the City Of
New Orleans to such extent as may Do
required. after providing in the man
ner prescribed sy Act No; ITS OF the
isiana. session Of 1908. fer the pay
ment of the principal and interest OF
any bonds authorized by said Act No.
ITO Of 1903, whether heretofore or
(O Amy bridges or tunnels and APP
-purtsnances thereof constructed.
equipped. maintained or operated by
the City Of New Orleans unde the au-
thority hereby conferred. and All
City Of New Orleans under the pre-
visions Of this amendment. shal form
and are hereby constituted an
integral part Of the Public Ssis
1ssn system, a. It rh now . or ~ avs =
tern the City OF New Orleans Ia here
by authorized to extend and operate
In and beyond tho Parish OF Orleans;
and the Public Belt Railroad comaais-
Hereby vested VITA tas sane powers
VITA respect to the Public Belt Rail-
road system AZ well as with respec$ 70
suoh bridges. tpnnels. sDpurtenanees
and property. their acquisition. con.
as are new vested in said Gomrnission
W Act No. 17s Of the General Assan-
bly, OF b State Of Louisiana. session
OF 1908, with respect to the Puzzle
Belt Railroad as presently estabffsh-
%.
The Public Belt Railroad Commits
sion is hereby authorised without
prior authority or approval therefor by
the Commission Council of the City OF
New Orleans, to expend out OF any Of
its revenues and for the purpose OF
q SUM not to exceed twenty-five thou-
sand dollars on any one contract, pro-
vided, however, that all disbursements
beyond said sum shall be made only
after they shall have been first author
iyed and approved by the Commission
Council of the City Of New Orleans.
"a The Public Belt Railroad COM
mission. under such terms and condi-
lions as 1t may deem advisable. shall
have the right to switch, handle or
convey, in continuous movement, for
any railroad, trains over such bridges
or Through such tunnels and over the
main lines Of the Public Belt Railroad
to the depot or yard Of said railroad. or
terminal of the Paolic Belt Railroad
system; 1t being understood that the
sole purpose of this provision Is to IA
cilitate the movement of trains enter
ing the City Of New Orleans on the
east or west bank OF the Mississippi
Public Belt Railroad Commission
grant switching privileges to any
railroad yer he Public Belt Railroad
system.
(5) Any bridge or tunnel construct
ed and any appurtenances thereof. and
any lands or other things necessary
thereto, acquired or constructed under
the provisions of this amendment, and
any and all property leased to or by
the City Of New Orleans for the pur-
pose OF this amendment, during the
life Of the lease, shall be exempt from
every form Of taxation, special assess
ment or license, and shall in no nan
ner be hypothetical, leased Of alien
ated except and only to further the ao-
quiring OF other property or proper
ties for the Public Bolt Railroad sys-
tenn, or to otherwise advance and
carry out the objects n purposes OF
this amendment.
(6) The provisions OF this amend
ment shall constitute a contract be-
tween the holders of and all OBJ
legations issued hereunder, the State
of Louisiana and the City Of New Or
leans.
as None of the provisions Of this
amendment shall be construed or In
terpreted SO as to condfct with the
provisions Of Act No. 4 of the General
Assembly of the State of Louisiana.
session of 1915, being a Joint Resolu-
ton proposing an amendment to the
Constitution of the State providing for
the funding OF certain debts OF the
City OF New Orleans and OF the Board
of Directors Of the Public Schools.
Parish OF Orleans. respectively g
tering Act 17s of the General Assem-
bly, of the State of Louisiana for the
year 1908. authorizing the issuance of
two million dollars for bonds for Belt
Railroad purposes.
(8) That all the rights, franchises
and immunitfes herein granted shall
continue and exist only upon the con
dition h a the construction Of said
bridge shall be actively begun not lat
er than May i. 1920, and that the
bridge shall be completed within I'VE
years from the date of the commence
ment of the work; provided, that after
the work Of construction has begun.
in the events Of delays occasioned by
litigation, strikes. panics. lock-outs.
failure Of contractor or ~sub-contrac-
tors to deliver materials on contract
time, or OF n contractor or sub.
contractor to complete work on con-
tract time, or any delay occastoned by
AM act or circumstance over which
the grantee herein has no control,
there shall be and is hereby granted
further time for completion. equal to
the period covered by such delays; and
provided, further. If h Congress OF
the United States shall, after the coz
struction of sale bridge has begun,
grant an extension OF time or further
delay for the completion of said
bridge, then such additional delay
snail pc ana Is nerepy, lpSO 1AcLc,
granted under this Act.
Section 2. Be it further enacted,
etc, That the amendment proposed by
this Act shall be submitted to the
electors of the State for their APPROX
al or rejection at the Congressional
election to be held on the first Tues
day after the first Monday in the
month of November, 1916; that there
shall be printed on the official ballots
to be used at said election the words:
For the proposed amendment to
the Constitution of the State OF Louis
lana granting to the City of New Or
leans power to construct, equip, main
tain and operate bridges or tunnels
New Orleans, etc." and the word
Against the proposed amendment to
the Constitution of the State OF Lou-
isiana granting to the City Of New
Orleans power to construct, equip.
maintain and operate bridges or tun-
nels across the Mississippi River at or
near New Orleans, etc."
And that zach elector shall Indicate
on the ballot cast by him, as provided
by the general election laws of the
State, whether he votes for or against
the proposed amendment.
HEWITT B0UANCHAUD,
Speaker of the House Of Representa-
tiyes.
FERNAND MoUToN,
Lieutenant Governor and President Of
the Senate.
Approved: June so. 1916.
R. G. PLEASANT,
Governor OF the State OF Louisiana.
A true copy:
James j. BAILEY,
Secretary of State.