Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/698



as in his opinion shall be deemed expedient: Provided, that no deviation shall be made from the principal points established on said road between Cumberland and Brownsville.

, March 3, 1811.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following allowances and compensations shall be made to the several officers appointed for the purpose of ascertaining the rights of persons claiming lands in the territories of Orleans and Louisiana; which allowances and compensations shall be in full for all their services, including those rendered since their salaries respectively ceased; that is to say: To each of the commissioners, and to each of the clerks of the boards, fifty cents for each claim, duly filed according to law, which remained undecided on the first day of July, one thousand eight hundred and nine, and on which a decision has been made subsequent to that day, or shall hereafter be made, whether such decision be in favour of, or against the claim: which allowance of fifty cents shall be paid at the treasury of the United States, from time to time, and on receipt of the transcripts of the decisions and of the reports of claims not finally confirmed, as the same may be transmitted by the boards respectively to the Secretary of the Treasury according to law. To each of the said commissioners and clerks a further allowance of five hundred dollars, to be paid after the completion of the business of each of the boards respectively to the officers then in office. And to each of the translators, at the rate of six hundred dollars a year, and not to exceed in the whole for each the term of eighteen months: Provided always, that the above mentioned allowance of fifty cents for each claim decided upon, shall not be made to any of the commissioners who may be absent at the time of such decision; the attendance of each to be certified by the clerk, or by a majority of the board: And provided also, that no allowance shall be made to any agent heretofore employed by the Secretary of the Treasury for any period of time, subsequent to the time when such agent ceased to act, or when the board ceased to receive evidence.

. And be it further enacted, That the two principal deputy surveyors of the territory of Orleans shall, and they are hereby authorized, in surveying and dividing such of the public lands in the said territory, which are or may be authorized to be surveyed and divided, as are adjacent to any river, lake, creek, bayou, or water course, to vary the mode heretofore prescribed by law, so far as relates to the contents of the tracts, and to the angles and boundary lines, and to lay out the same into tracts as far as practicable, of fifty-eight poles in front and four hundred and sixty-five poles in depth, of such shape, and bounded by such lines as the nature of the country will render practicable, and most convenient: Provided however, that such deviations from the ordinary mode of surveying shall be made with the approbation of, and in conformity with the general instructions which may be given to that effect, by the surveyor of the public lands south of the state of Tennessee.

. And be it further enacted, That for the disposal of the lands of the United States, lying in the eastern land district of the territory of Orleans, a land-office shall be established at New Orleans; and that for the disposal of the lands of the United States, lying south of Red river, in the western land district of the territory of Orleans, a land-office shall be