Year: 1871

For seao0ast cannon and carriages for
the same, two hundred thousand dollars.


For purchase and manufacture of other
ordnance stores to fill requisition of troops,
fifty thousand dollars.


For manufacture of arms at the national
armory, one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars.


SEC. 2. That the President of the United
States shall be, and he is hereby, author
lied to nominate, and, By and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate, appoint
board of commissioners, to be designated
as commissioners of claims, to consist OF
three commissioners, who shall be COM
mlssl0ned tor two years, and whose duty it
shall be to receive, examine, and consider
the justice and validity of such claims as
shall be brought before them, of those citi-
Zens who remained loyal adherents to the
cause and the government of the United
States during the war, for stores or supplies
taken or furnished during the rebellion for
the use OF the army Of the United States in
States proclaimed as in insurrection against
the United States, including the use and
loss of vessels or boats while employed in
the military service of the United States.
And the said commissioners in considering
said claims shall be satisfied from the testi-
mony of witnesses under oath, or from other
sufficient evidence, which shall accompany
each claim, taken under such rules and reg
DD,
The loyalty and adherence of the claimant
to the cause and the government of the
United States before and at the time of
the taking or furnishing of the property for
which any claim shall be made, and of the
quantity, quality, and value of the property
alleged to have been taken or furnished,
and the time, place, and material circum-
stances OF the taking or furnishing of the
same And, upon satisfactory evidence of
the justice and validity of any claim, the
commissioners shall report their opinion in
writing in each case, and shall certify the
nature, amount, and value of the proper ty
taken, furnished, or used as aforesaid.
And each claim which shall be considered,
and rejected as unjust and invalid, shall
likewise be reported, with the reasons there
for; and no claimant shall withdraw any
material evidence submitted in support of
any claim.


SEC. 3. That said commissioners shall each
take the oath of Office provided by law to
be taken by all officers of the United States,
and shall proceed without delay to discharge
their duties under this act. The President
of the United States shall designate in his
appointment one of said commissioners to
be president of the board, and shall be au-
thOrized to fill any vacancy which may Oc-
cur, by reason of death or resignation, in
said board; and each commissioner shall
have authority to administer oaths and affir-
nations and to take the dispositions of wit
nesses in all matters pertaining to their du-
ties. The said commissioners shall meet and
organize said board, and hold their sessions
at Washington. Two members of the board
shall constitute quorum for the transac-
ton OF business, and the agreement of two
shall decide all questions in controversy
The said commissioners shall have au-
thOrity to make and publish rules
tor their procedure, not inconsistent
with this act, and shall publish notice of
their sessions. They shall keep journal of
their proceedings, to be signed by the presi-
dent of the board and a register of all
claims brought before the board, showing
the date of presentation, number, name and
residence OF claimant, subject-matter and
amount of claim. and the amount, if any,
allowed; which records shall be open to the
inspection of the President and Attorney
General of the United States, or of such
officer as the President may designate


SEC. a. That said commissioners shall
make report of their proceedings, and each
claim considered by them, at the commence.
ment of each session of Congress, to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
who shall lay the same before Congress for
consideration; and all claims within this
act and not presented to said board shall
be barred, and shall not be entertained by
any department of the government without
iui lHOi autuorlty VI OOuSTtbs


Sec. 5. That the commissioners of claims
shall be paid quarterly under this act, at
the rate of five thousand dollars perfannum
each, and they shall have authority to ap-
point one clerk and one shorthand reporter
to be paid quarterly at the rate of two thou
sand five hundred dollars per annum each,
and one messenger, to be paid at the rate of
one thousand two hundred dollars per an
mum, who shall perform the services re-
quired of them respectively, and said board
shall be further allowed the necessary
actual expenses of Office rent, furniture,
fuel, stationery, and printing, to be GER
titled by the president of the board, and
to be audited on vouchers, and paid as
other judicial expenses are.


Sec. g. That a sufficient appropriation to
carry this act into effect is hereby made,
out of any money in the treasury not
otherwise appropriated.


SEC. T. That the Secretary of War be,
and he is hereby, authorized and directed
to negotiate with responsible party to
build and operate telegraph line from
Yancton, Dakota Territory, to Fort Ran
dali, Dakota, and thence to Fort Sully, if,
in the opinion of the Secretary of War, the
public service demands such extension.
And upon the completion of each hundred
miles of said line to the satisfaction of the
Secretary of War; he is authorized to pay





eight thousand dollars; and upon the COM
pletion of the whole line he shall pay. as
aforesaid, the sum of eighty dollars per
mile for any number of miles the same NAV
extend over the number of even hundreds:
provided, that the money so paid shall be
refunded to the United States in the
use of said telegraph line at rates not
ais, nor higher than may, in the
opinion of said Secretary be Just:
provided, ALSO that when the money ad-
vanced by the said Secretary of War shall
be refunded, as above provided. the United
States shall have no title to nor lien upon
said line, but may at all times use the same
for public purposes at such rates as may be
just.


SEC g. That an amount necessary to en-
able the Secretary of War to carry into
effect the provisions of the foregoing sec
ton is hereby appropriated out of any
moneys in the treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated


SEC. 9. That in accordance with the fifth
section of the act approved July two,
eighteen hundred and sixty four, entitled
IAN act to amend an act entitled IAN act to
aid in the construction OF a railroad and
telegraph line from the Missouri river to
to the Pacific ocean, and to secure to the
government the use of the same for postal,
military and other purposes approved
July first, eighteen hundred and sixty-two."
the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
directed to pay over in money to the Pacific
railroad companies mentioned in said act,
and performing services for the United
States, one-half of the compensation at the
rate provided by law for such services,
heretofore or hereafter rendered. provided,
that this section shall not be construed to
affect the legal rights of the government or
the obligations OF the companies, except as
herein specifically provided.