834 THIRTY·—SEVENTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 14. 15. 1862. J¤¤¤¤1’Y 31, 1862- CHAP. XIV. —An Act to pay the Expenses of theagpecial Qommittec of the Home n/`Rep. —""`—""" resenlatives, a pointed July eighth, ezybteen iumdr and nxty-one, to ascertain and repay! in regard to Céiontracts with any.Department of the Govermnantjbr Provisions, Supplies, Transportation, Qc. _ Be it enacted by the Senate and lkusc of Representatives of the United fo;*·§P'gl;*i¤c*:: States of America in Congress assembled, That there be appropriated, out mimge 0,., (M_` of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. the sum of ten tracts- thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to pay the expenses of the special committee of the House of Representatives appointed on the eighth day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, to ascertain and report in regard to contracts made with any Department of the Government for provisions, supplies. transportation, &c.; and said sum shall be drawn from the Treasury upon the order of the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives, as the same shall be required from time to time by the committee having such investigation in charge. Arr1to`v1t1>, January 31, 1862. January 31, 1862. Cuar. XV. -—An aint to autltorize the President of the United States in certain Cases to —P6mW take Possesszon of Razlroad and T elcgraph Lanes, and jbr other Purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and fbuse of Representatives of the United States of America in Oangress assembled, That the President of the Railmdsnd United States, when in his judgment the public safety may require it,
- °l°€’“¥’h l*“°° be, and he is hereby authorized to take possession of any or all the telemay be taken . . . .
l,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 0,; graph lines in the United States, their offices and appurtenances ; to take possession of any or all the railroad lines in the United States, their rolling-stock, their offices, shops, buildings, and all their appendages and . appurtenances; to prescribe rules and regulations for the holding, using, and maintaining of the aforesaid telegraph and railroad lines, and to extend, repair, and complete the same, in the manner most conducive to the my be used, safety and interest of the Government; to place under military control all extended &e. · - · and Pmé, anhu_ the officers, agents, and employes belonging to the telegraph and railroad military control. i tes thus taken possession of by the President, so that they shall be considered as a post road and a part of the military establishment of the United States, subject to all the restrictions imposed by the rules and articles ot" war. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any attempt by any party or _ parties whomsoever, in any State or District in which the laws of the ntggmfélggbgf United States are opposed, or the execution thereof obstructed by insurstrucuha g°vc,.,,_ gcnts and rebels against the United States, too p0weri'ul to be suppressed ment in the use by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, to resist or interfere with
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- ;l‘°" the unrestrained use by Government of the property described in the
preceding section, or any attempt to injure or destroy the property aforesaid; shall be punished as a military offence, by death, or such other pen- Cmmmionm alty as a3cou;·t;nzl:·tial mayhimpose. i l to dmrmina .. nc. . n tt fur: er enacted, That three commissioners shall `be d,m,,g°,,_ appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to assess and determine the damages suffered, or the compensation to which any railroad or telegraph company may be entitled by reason of the railroad or telegraph line being seized and used under the authority conferred by this act, and their award shall be submitted to Congress for their action. cfmpswgtipn Sec. 4. and be it further enacted, That the transportation of troops, Mundgftmnéroi munitions ot war, equipments, military property and stores, throughout or sqcmmy of the United States, shall be under the immediate control and supervision Wm of the Secretary of War and such agents as he may appoint; and all rule? 1·<apxlzxtions,la;·ticles, usages, and laws in coutlict with this provision are crc y annu e .
§;>(;n<fr;¤m— Sec. 5: find be it further enacted, That the compensation of each of
A"' how bug the commissioners aforesaid shall be eight dollars per day while in actual iulbrce. service; and that the provisions of this act, so far as it relates to the
