Chapter CXL. making Appropriations for Light-houses, Light-boats, Buoys, etc., and providing for the Erection and Establishment of the same, and for other Purposes
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Chap. CXL.— An Act making Appropriations for Light-houses, Light-boats, Buoys, etc., and providing for the Erection and Establishment of the same, and for other Purposes. March 3, 1853. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Appropriations. That the following appropriations be and the same are hereby made and directed to be paid, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to enable the Secretary of the Treasury to .carry the provisions of this act into effect:
Proviso as to falling to surplus fund.*Provided, however*, if a good title to any land, which it may be necessary to use, cannot be obtained on reasonable terms, or the exclusive right to such land cannot be acquired by cession, when the interest of the United States demands it, before the appropriation would by law fall into the surplus fund, in any and all such cases the appropriations shall be applicable to the objects for which they are made, at any time within two years after the first meeting of the Legislature in any State wherein such land may be situated, subsequent to the passage of this act, to wit:
Maine.*Maine*.—For buoys, beacons, and spindles, to be placed at the channels of Muscongus Bay, and at other important points in the waters of said 1852, ch. 112.State, in addition to the sum appropriated by the act of August thirty-first, eighteen hundred and fifty-two, three thousand dollars. Massachusetts.*Massachusetts*.—For buoys to mark the channel of Taunton River, five hundred dollars; For a beacon on “Deep-Hole Rock,” in Vineyard Sound, six hundred dollars; 241 For the erection of a light-house and keepers house on or near the breakwater at Bass River, being a reappropriation of the same sum appropriated by the act of September twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and1850, ch. 77. fifty, four thousand dollars.
Towards the erection of a light-house on the rocks called the “Sow and Pigs,” near the entrance of Buzzard’s Bay, to take the place of the light-vessel now stationed there, being a reappropriation of the same sum appropriated by the act of September twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and1850, ch. 77. fifty, thirty thousand dollars. For a light-vessel to be moored off Minot’s Ledge, in addition to the sum appropriated at the last session of Congress, six thousand dollars.1852, ch., 112. *Rhode Island*.—For buoys to be placed on the following points:
“OldRhode Island. Newton,” “the Sisters,” “Brig Ledge,” “(Narragansett Bay,)” “Sandy Point,” “(Block Island,)” and “Taursett Point,” (near Wickford,) five hundred dollars. For erecting a beacon-light at “Seine Rock,” Newport Harbor, one thousand dollars. *Connecticut*.—For buoys in New Haven Harbor, two hundred dollars.Connecticut. For buoy on Penfield Reef, one hundred and fifty dollars. For beacon on Race Rock, Long Island Sound, seven thousand dollars. For the erection of one or more beacon-lights below Middletown, on the Connecticut River, and for the erection of buoys and spindles, three thousand dollars.
For the erection of a fog-bell or whistle, as the light-house board shall determine, on Pine Island, in Fisher’s Island Sound, one thousand dollars. *New York*.—For a small light on or near Carlton Head, and for repairingNew York. or rebuilding Tibbit’s Point light-house, five thousand dollars. For a fog-bell or whistle, to be worked by machinery, to be placed on the South Pier near the light-house at Buffalo, two thousand five hundred dollars. For a new light-vessel to take the place of that now moored off Sandy Hook, in addition to the sum appropriated at the last session of Congress, two thousand dollars. *New Jersey*.—For buoys to be placed on Absecum Bar and in theNew Jersey.
Inlet, (a harbor of refuge,) eight hundred dollars. *Delaware*.—For beacons and buoys for Delaware Bay, to completeDelaware. the necessary beaconage and buoyage in the lower part of the river and bay, five thousand dollars. *Michigan*.—For a light-house on Point Betsey, Lake Michigan, fiveMichigan. thousand dollars. For a light-house at Grand Island Harbor, Lake Superior, five thousand dollars. For a light-house at Rock Harbor, Isle Royal, Lake Superior, five thousand dollars.
For a fog-bell, to be worked by machinery, for Thunder Bay Island light-house, Lake Huron, two thousand five hundred dollars. For erecting a light-house at the mouth of Portage River, five thousand dollars. For the erection of a light-house at Point Iroquois, or on the Island off Point Aux-chens, as the Light-house Board shall determine, five thousand dollars. For making the foundations of two light-houses, one to be a beacon light, on the Saint Clair Flats, ten thousand dollars; the places to be selected and the work executed under the direction of the Topographical Bureau. *Ohio*.—For a beacon of solid masonry, to be placed on a reef lyingOhio. in the track of vessels at the west end of Lake Erie, near the South Shore, off Bois Blanc and near Touissant River, three thousand dollars. 242 Virginia.*Virginia*.—For a first-class buoy to be placed on the “Upper Middle” in Chesapeake Bay, and buoys for “Sand Shoal” and “Hog Island Inlet,” Atlantic coast, eight hundred dollars.
For buoys to be placed in the Potomac River, as follows: lower end “Jones’ Point,” Occoquon flats,” off “Marlow’s Creek,” lower part of “Wade’s Bay,” off “Jenifer’s Quarter,” “Matthias Point,” and “Dent’s Shoal,” five hundred and sixty dollars. For a small light at “Stingery Point,” Rappahannock, two hundred and fifty dollars. For a Beacon at Naylor’s Hole, Rappahannock, one hundred and fifty dollars. For twelve buoys for Rappahannock River, six hundred dollars. South Florida.*South Carolina*.—For six large iron buoys for Charleston bar and channels, three thousand dollars.
For a large bell buoy for the entrance over Charleston bar, five thousand dollars. For a buoy to be placed on Middle Ground Shoal, Charleston harbor, five hundred dollars. For a light vessel to be placed on Rattlesnake Shoal, twenty thousand dollars. For rebuilding beacon on Morris Island, Charleston harbor, three thousand dollars. For changing the present light-house at Cape Romain into a first class sea-coast light, by elevating, improving, and refitting the same with the most approved illuminating apparatus, twenty thousand dollars.
Florida*Florida*.—For an iron pile light-house, to take the place of the lightvessel stationed near Key West, twelve thousand dollars. For making permanent the signals placed by the coast survey along the Florida reef, ten thousand dollars. For the erection of a first class light-house, and fitting the same with *Post*, p. 340.a first order illuminating apparatus, near Jupiter inlet, thirty-five thousand dollars. Alabama.*Alabama*.—For a beacon to mark a shoal in Mobile Bay channel, caused by a wreck, five hundred dollars.
Louisiana.*Louisiana*.—For largest class iron buoys, to mark the approaches to the principal passes at the mouth of Mississippi River, three thousand dollars. Towards the erection of a first class light-house, as a substitute for the light-vessel at “Ship Shoal,” to be located at “Ship Shoal,” or Raccoon Point, as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, after the 1852, ch. 112.survey of that locality authorized by the act of thirty-first August, eighteen hundred and fifty-two, shall be completed, twenty thousand dollars.
Texas.*Texas*.—For third class iron buoys, to be placed at “Brazos Santiago Bar,” mouth of “Grand River Bar,” and the entrance to Matagorda Bay, two thousand dollars. For a first class light-house at the mouth of the Sabine River, thirty thousand dollars. California.*California*.—For a buoy to mark Commission Ledge, in Mare Island Straits, five hundred dollars. For a buoy to Mark “Middle Ground,” in Suisun Bay, five hundred dollars. For largest class buoy to mark entrance to bar at San Francisco, eight hundred dollars.
For buoys to mark the channel of the Sacramento River, two thousand dollars. For buoys for Humboldt harbor, five hundred dollars. For buoys for Umpqua, five hundred dollars. For a second class light-house at Point Boneta, San Francisco Bay, twenty-five thousand dollars. THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 142. 1853. 243 For the erection of a light-house in San Pedro Bay, ten thousand dollars. *Oregon*.—For additional buoys at Columbia River, one thousand fiveOregon. hundred dollars.
To test the adaptation of Jabez Stone’s patent buoy as a guide to riverTest of J. Stone’s buoy. and other narrow channels, two hundred and fifty dollars. To enable the Light-House Board to procure the necessary machineryTest of C. Babbage’s light. and test practically the plan for distinguishing lights by occultations, submitted by Charles Babbage, Esq., and which was communicated to Congress at its last session, five thousand dollars. Sec. 2. *And be it further enacted*, That the sum of three thousand fiveLight on Pumpkin’s Island. hundred dollars, appropriated by the first section of the act of eighteen hundred and fifty-two, chapter one hundred and twelve, to the erection1852, ch. 112. of a harbor light on a point of land lying west of the entrance to Buck’s harbor, in Brooksville, may be applied to the erection of a harbor light on the northern extremity of Pumpkin Island, in conformity to the recommendation of the coast survey.
Sec. 3. *And be it further enacted*, That the location of the two beaconFort Hamilton light changed.1851, ch. 37. lights authorized by the act of eighteen hundred and fifty-one, to be placed near Fort Hamilton, be changed to the other end of the range line of the main channel, on the New Jersey shore. Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the TreasuryCohasset rocks. is hereby authorized to select, instead of the outer “Minot Ledge,” any more suitable site amongst the Cohasset rocks, at the entrance of Boston harbor, on which to erect the light-house authorized by the first section of the act of eighteen hundred and fifty-two, chapter one hundred1852, ch. 112.*Post*, p. 592. and twelve, if in his judgment and on further surveys, if necessary, any more suitable site can be found.
Sec. 5. *And be it further enacted*, That the sum of three thousandBrandywine shoal. five hundred dollars, appropriated by the first section of the act of eighteen hundred and fifty-two, chapter one hundred and twelve, “for the1852, ch. 112. construction of two ice-breakers,” may be applied by the Light-House Board for the preservation and protection of the light-house on Brandywine Shoal, in such manner as may best secure the object. Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the TreasuryYork Harbor, (Me.) is hereby authorized to apply the sum of five thousand dollars, appropriated by the act of eighteen hundred and fifty-two, section one, chapter1852, ch. 112. one hundred and twelve, for a light-house on the Nubble, Cape Neddick, York, to the erection of a light-house at the entrance of York harbor, if that location will best subserve the interests of commerce.
Sec. 7. *And be it further enacted*, That the Secretary of the TreasuryClaim of R. B. Forbes and others, for lightboat at Minot’s Ledge. be directed, if in his opinion the safety of commerce demanded a light at Minot’s Ledge, at the entrance of Boston harbor, to replace that which was destroyed, to examine into the claims of R. B. Forbes and others, who kept a light-boat there at their private expense; and, if he is of opinion that their doings were essential to the safety of navigation, to allow them such a sum as under the circumstances he deems reasonable, and to pay the same out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Approved, March 3, 1853.