64

SAMUEL STEVENS, Jr. ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR; .

Dec. Ses. 1824

Eastern and
western sec-
tions.

20. And be it enacted, That the said canal shall be, and the same
is hereby divided into two sections, to be denominated first and
second, or eastern and western respectively; that the first or eas-
tern section, shall begin at the District of Columbia on tide water,
and terminate at or near the bank of Savage river or creek, which
empties into the north branch of the Potomac, at the base of the
Allegany mountain; that the second or western section shall com-
mence at the said termination, and extend along the valley of Sa-
vage river or creek, so far as the same, or any branch thereof, as
may reach some convenient point thereon, for connecting the eas-
tern and western waters, by a tunnel through, or an open cut across
the dividing ridge between the same, and thence after crossing the
said dividing ridge, shall proceed to the highest steam boat navi-
gation of the Ohio river, or of some one tributary stream thereof, in
such direction as in the opinion of the said president and directors,
shall be best calculated for the attainment of the end set forth in
the preamble of this act that the said president and directors shall
first construct the eastern suction aforesaid, out of the capital
stock herein before mentioned; and shall next proceed to construct
with all possible dispatch, the western section thereof; in case the
said company shall not begin the said work within two years after
the company shall have been formed; or if the work, having been
so begun, shall not be diligently prosecuted, so that one hundred miles
of the said canal, with the adequate locks and incidental improve-
ments, shall not be completed and in fit order for navigation, in the

Time limited
for construc-
ting.

term of five years from the commencement of the work, then all
interest of the said company, in the navigation and tolls, shall
cease and determine, and their charter shall be thereafter taken to
be null and void; and so in like manner shall the said charter be
null and void, if the entire eastern section be not completed in the
term of twelve years from the said commencement; and should
the said company fail to begin the western section of the said ca-

Forfeiture of
right.

Western sec-
tion.

Time limited
Forfeiture,
Repairs.

nal, in two years after the time allowed as aforesaid for the com-
pletion of the eastern section; or having begun the western section,
shall fail to complete the same in six years after such beginning,
then all right, title and interest of the said company in the said
western section, shall cease and determine; and the several states
aforesaid shall have full authority to incorporate another company
for the completion of such section, or to complete the same in any
other mode that they may deem expedient; and if after the com-
pletion of the said canal and locks, the president and directors
shall fail to keep the same in repair for twelve months at any time,
then in like manner the interest of the company in the navigation
and tolls shall cease, and their charter be forfeited.

Lateral ca-
nal—States
rights reser-

ved.

21. And be it further enacted, That the right to the waters of
the river Potomac, for the purpose of any latteral canal or canals,
which the state of Virginia or Maryland may authorise to be made
in connection with the said canal, is reserved to the said states res-
pectively; that a similar fight is reserved to the state of Pennsyl-
vania in relation to the rivers and streams within the territory of
that state, the waters of which may be used in supplying the wes-
tern section of the said canal; that the government of the United
States shall retain the power to extend to the said canal, in or