Year: 1866

CHAP AAA11


An Act granting to the State of Wisconsin Do


nation of Pnblic Lands to aid in the Constitu-


ton of Breakwater and harbor and Ship Canal


at the Head of Sturgeon Bah, ill the County of


Door, in said State, to connect the Waters of


Green Bay with Lake Michigan, in said State.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives of the United States OF America In
Congress assembled, That there be, and hereby is,
granted to the State of Wisconsin for the purpose
of aiding said State in constructing and compile
ting breakwater and harbor and ship canal to
connect the waters of Green bay with the waters
of Lake Michigan two hundred thousand acres of
public lands to be selectedin in subdivisions agreea-
bly, to the United States survey, by an agent or
subject to the approval of the Secretary of the
Interior, from lands subject to private entry:
Provided, That said selections shall all be made
from alternate and odd numbered sections of land
nearest the location of said harbor and canal in
said State not otherwise appropriated, and not
from lands designated by the United States as
mineral" -" before the passage OF this act, nor
from lands to which the rights OF pre-emption or
homestead have attached.


SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said
lands hereby grantee, shall be subject to the dis
posal of the legislature OF said State, or, if the
legislature thereof shall not be in session, shall
adjourn within ten days after the passage and ap-
proval of this act, then said lands shall be subject
to the disposal of the governor and board ofcom-
missioners of school, university, and swamp lands
of said State for the purposes aforesaid, and for
no other; and the said canal shall be and remain
public highway for the of the government
of the United States, free from toll charge upon
the vessels of said government, or upon vessels
employed by said government in the transporta-
ton of any property or troops of the United
States.


SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That before
it shall be competent for said State to dispose of
any of said lands, to be selected aforesaid the
plan of said breakwater and harbor and the route
of said canal shall be established, and plat or
plats thereofs shall be filed in the office of the Com
missioner of the General Land Office,


SEC. 4. And be it further enated, That if the



this act, the lands hereby granted and remaining
unsold shall revert to the United States.


Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the
legislature of said state shall to be kept
accurate account of the sales and net proceeds of
the lands hereby granted, and of all expenditures
in the construction, repairs, and operating of said
canal and of the earnings thereof, and shall re-
turn statement of the same annually to the
Secretary of the interior. And whenever said
State shall be fully REIN bursed for all advances
made for the construction, repairs, and operating
of said canal, with legal interest on all advances
until the reimbursement of the same, upon pay
ment by the United States of any balance of such
advances over such receipts from said lands and
canal, with such interest, the said State shall be
allowed to tax for the of said canal only such
tolls shall be sufficient to pay all necessary
penses for the care, charge, and repair of the
same.


Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That said
ship canal shall be at least hundred feet in
width, with depth of water not less than thirteen
feet.
Approved, April TO- 1885,