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to be approved of by the Commissioner of Public Buildings and Grounds, the architect of the Capitol extension, and the librarian of Congress.

FREE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.

An Act to authorize the establishment of certain free public highways in the
District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the proper municipal authorities of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized and directed, within sixty days from and after the passage of this act, to locate, construct, and maintain a free public highway on and over that part of the Columbia turnpike road which leads from the boundary of the city of Washington to the boundary of the District of Columbia towards the village of Bladensburg, in the State of Maryland, and which is now commonly called the Bladensburg turnpike road, and which is described in the act of Congress approved April twentieth, eighteen hundred and ten, incorporating the president, directors, and company of the Columbia Turnpike Roads, as the line in the most direct and practicable route from the capital to Baltimore; and for the purpose aforesaid the said municipal authorities shall have power to take any real estate or franchise of the said president, directors, and company of the Columbia Turnpike Roads Company necessary for the construction and maintenance of said free public highway, and no more.

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Also to construct

and maintain a free

public highway over

of Washington at or

street, and extend

of the District of C6lumbia, towards

SEC. 2. That the proper municipal authorities aforesaid shall, within the time aforesaid, locate, construct, and maintain a free public highway on and over the turnpike the turnpike road road in the District of Columbia leading from the boun- boundary of the city dary of the city of Washington, and beginning at or near near the end of th the end of Seventh street of said city, and extending to the into the boundary boundary of the District of Columbia, towards Brookville, Maryland, authorized by the act of Congress approved February fifteenth, eighteen hundred and nineteen, entitled "An act to authorize the president and managers of the Rockville and Washington Turnpike Company of the State of Maryland to extend and make their turnpike road

Brookville, Md.

real estate or fran

to or from the boundary of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, through said District to the line And to take any thereof;" and for the purpose aforesaid the said proper muchise belonging to nicipal authorities shall have power to take any real estate Washington Turn- or franchise belonging to said turnpike company which State o Maryland may be necessary for the construction and maintenance of construction of said said free public highway, and no more.

the Rockville and

pike Company of the

necessary for the

free public highway.

Just compensation

to be made to afore

any real estate

or

compensation shall be ascertained.

SEC. 3. That just compensation shall be made to the said company for aforesaid companies for the real estate and franchise so franchise so taken. taken, and which compensation shall be ascertained in the Manner in which following manner: Immediately after the said proper municipal authorities shall have taken any of said real estate and franchises, the marshal of the District of Columbia shall in each case summon a jury of twelve men, who shall, under oath, and after due notice given to the companies interested, and also to the said municipal authorities, proceed, under the direction of one of the justices of the supreme court of the District of Columbia, to assess the damages due to each of said companies, which said damages shall be paid by the said District of Columthe purpose author- bia, who are hereby authorized to levy a sufficient tax for the following pro- that purpose in the following proportions: One-tenth of of the damages by said damages by the county of and nine-tenths by the city nine-tenths by the of Washington.

Sufficient tax for

ized to be levied in

portions: One-tenth

the county of and

city of Washington.

In fixing amount

SEC. 4. That in fixing the measure of damages, and in may take into con- fixing the present value of the franchise of either of said

sideration the ques

tion whether the turnpike companies, the jury may take into consideration forfeited by such the question whether such franchise has been forfeited by

franchise has been

company.

March 5, 1872.

created. who shall

such company.

SURVEY OF HARBOR AND RIVER.

An Act to provide for the survey of the harbor and river at Washington, D. C. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Board of survey the chief of engineers of the United States army, the serve without com- Superintendent of the Coast Survey, the Engineer in ne into the condi- charge of Public Buildings and Grounds, the Governor of landings for vessels the District of Columbia, Alexander R. Shepherd, and of Washington and Carlisle P. Patterson, who shall serve without compen

pensation, to exam

tion of harbors and

along water-front

Georgetown.

sation, are hereby created a board of survey, and are empowered and instructed to examine into the condition of

Report to be submitted to Congress

ble.

the harbors and landings for vessels from the Anacostia bridge, on the Eastern branch, along the entire waterfront of the city of Washington and Georgetown, to the head of tide-water. And the said board are directed to report to Congress, at as early a day as practicable, a full as carly as practicaand comprehensive plan for opening, improving, and developing the water-channel, so as to secure the best possible harbor facilities along said water-front. And the said board are also directed to take into consideration the sanitary effect upon the city of Washington, and the feasibility of reclaiming, in any improvements suggested, the swamp and marsh lands along said water-front: Provided, That any expense attending said report shall not exceed one thousand dollars, and shall be paid by the District of Columbia.

POWERS OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.

An act making appropriations to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred an I s ventyone, and for additional appropriations for the service of the year ending June thirtieth eighteen hundred and seventy-two, and for other purposes.

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Proviso.

April 20, 1871.

Board of Public

Certain members not to draw salary

For compensation of the Board of Public Works of the District of Columbia, ten thousand dollars: Works. Provided, That no person shall be entitled to draw a salary as a members of the Board of Public Works who is paid a salary for the discharge of the duties of any other officer as, &c. under the Government of the United States; and said board shall be held to be an existing board for all the pur- an existing board poses specified in the "act to provide a government for the District of Columbia," from and after the appoint- 16, p. 419. ment and qualification of the members thereof.

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Said board to be

for, &c.

1871, chap. 62, vol.

Powers of certain

streets, &c., in

transferred to the

Works.

SEC. 17. That from and after the passage of this act all powers conferred upon certain persons as commissioners commissioners of by the act approved June twenty-first, eighteen hundred Washington, D. C., and seventy, for the improvement of M street northwest, Board of Public and by the act approved July fifteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, for the improvement of the Washington city 10, p. 137, canal, shall be transferred to the Board of Public Works of the District of Columbia; and the persons acting as commissioners under said acts, are hereby directed to transfer to aid Board of Public Works all books, papers,

to be assessed.

16, p. 309.

and other property in their possession pertaining to the Private property Works under their charge; and private property shall be assessed for the improvement of M street, and Seventh street southwest, from B street to the river, heretofore 1871, chap. 292, vol. authorized by law, as provided in the act of February twenty-first, eighteen hundred and seventy-one. And in case said board shall, under said act of July fifteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, decide to open said canal, they are hereby empowered to open both its branches, so as to connect with the Government canal at the arsenal: Provided, That the cost of said work shall not exceed the amount already fixed by law for that purpose.

Provision as

Washington

canal.

Proviso.

to

city

Pavement of Pennsylvania ave.

paid by the District of Columbia.

That the sum of ten thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, for the purpose of repairing and relaying, where necessary, the pavement on Pennsylvania avenue from Fifteenth steet to A like sum to be the east side of Rock creek: Provided, That a like sum shall be expended for the same purpose by the proper authorities of the District of Columbia: And provided Washington and and further, That the Washington and Georgetown Railroad road Company todo Company shall in like manner repair such portion thereof as they are by their charter required to do; the work to be done under the supervision of the Board of Public Works for the District of Columbia.

Georgetown

its part.

*

*

*

*

*

May 8, 1872.

the Sinking Fund

the liabilities of the

due on the 1st of June, 1871.

FUNDING LIABILITIES OF CITY OF WASH

INGTON.

An Act to fund certain liabilities of the city of Washington, existing June first, eighteen hun lred and seventy-one, and to limit the debt of, and taxation in, the District of Columbia.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Commissioners of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund of the District of authorized to fund Columbia, duly appointed under the laws of the said Discity of Washington trict, be, and are hereby, authorized to fund the liabilities of the city of Washington, consisting of the floating debts and trust-funds found to be due on the first of June, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, not exceeding one million one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, by the audit ing commission appointed to ascertain the amount of said liabilities, and reported by said commission to the Legis

And to issue registered or coupon of said liabilities.

interest of said

payable in the city the city of New

York

Proviso.

lative Assembly, under date of November eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, and January third, eighteen hundred and seventy-two; and for that purpose the said commissioners are hereby directed to issue registered or coupon bonds of the said District of Columbia, in denomi- bonds for payment nations of fifty dollars, or any multiple of that sum,'not to exceed the amount of said liabilities, bearing interest not to exceed six per centum per annum, payable semi-annually in gold, and having a period to run not more than thirty years nor less than fifteen years; and the said commissioners are hereby authorized to negotiate the sale of the said bonds at their discretion, at a rate of discount not to exceed three per centum upon their par value, and with the proceeds thereof to pay the said liabilities of the city of Washington; and the principal and interest of said. The principal and bonds shall be made payable in the city of Washington, or bonds to be made in the city of New York: Provided, That such amount of of Washington or in the said bonds, or their proceeds as is necessary, shall be applied and strictly held to make good the trust-funds, on which there is a deficiency of two hundred and eightysix thousand three hundred and seventeen dollars and fifty-eight cents: Provided further, That the holders of any of the said floating debts shall have the privilege of converting the same, or any part thereof, at par, for an equal amount of the bonds proposed to be issued under this act. SEC. 2. That the Legislative Assembly of the District of Columbia is hereby empowered to cause to be levied upon, and collected from, all taxable property of the city of Washington, within its limits, a tax, annually, which shall be sufficient to pay the interest upon the said bonds, and to create a sinking fund for their and to create a sinking fund sufficient to retire the said redemption. bonds at maturity, the said tax to be collected at the same time, and in the same manner, as general annual taxes are collected in the said District: Provided, That the aggregate amount of taxes in any one year, excepting such additional assessments as may be made for improvements specially authorized by law, shall not exceed two per centum on the assessed cash valuation of property in said city. SEC. 3. That the Collector of the District of Columbia shall pay over to the said commissioners, upon their requi

The Legislative Assembly, empow upon taxable prop

red to levy a tax erty in the city of

Washington for the

payment of the in

terest on said bonds,

Proviso.

Provisions respecting the payment of

interest on bonds

from the tax collect

sition, being first certified by the Auditor and the Comp-ed, and investment

1

of residue.

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