100 



title in or to the swamp or marsh, without any compensation for expense incurred 

 in drainage or in building such part of the embankment as may have been completed. 



Article 6. The governor will then furnish an authorization in Mriting, giving the 

 location, boundaries, and area of the swamp or marsh and all the conditions of the 

 agreement. 



Article 7. If the applicant has not commenced work within the time specified, or 

 if, having commenced in due time, he has not completed a fourth of the work within 

 the period specified in paragraph 2 of article 5, the authorization will become null 

 and void, and the government may dispose of the swamp or marsh as it deems best. 



Article 8. Whenever the work is commenced and completed without dela}' in 

 accordance with the above provisions, at the expiration of the period fixed for its 

 accomplishment the governor shall visit the swamp or marsh with the engineer of 

 the province or of the seat of government, who will determine by testimony whether 

 or not the embankment has been fully completed in the manner j)rescribed. 



The applicant shall be informed of the day and iiour of this visit at least three 

 days prior thereto, in order that he may be present if he so desires. 



Article 9. If it be shown by the testimony of the engineer that the embankment 

 has not been completed within the period fixed, the governor shall take possession 

 of the land of the swamp or marsh, which will in all cases be considered the prop- 

 erty of the state, and the applicant may not make any claim for damages under the 

 terms of his agreement. 



Article 10. In such cases as are provided for in the preceding article and in arti- 

 cle 7 the applicant may appeal from the decision of the governor to the minister of 

 finance, whose decision shaU be final. 



The appeal must be presented within fifteen days after the decision has been 

 signed in due form. 



Article 11. If, on the contrary, the testimony of the engineer establishes the fact 

 that the embankment has been properly constructed, the governor shall so inform 

 the minister of finance, who will order a title deed to the property to lie issued in 

 the name of the applicant, and the land of the swamp or marsh thus acquireil will be 

 exempt from taxation foi ten years, beginning with the expiration of the time for 

 completing the embankment. 



Article 12. The provisions of this act are applicable only to swamps and marshes 

 located within 1,000 meters (3,2S1 feet) of a city, town, or village. 



[Decree of April 'l^. 1900.] 



Article 1. Excavating within or to the north of cities, towns, and villages, whether 

 for the manufacture of brick or for any other purpose whatsoever which may have a 

 tendency to form a body of water, is prohibited within .3,000 meters (9,843 feet) of 

 any dwelling. 



Such excavations are also prohibited to the south, east, and west upon lands situ- 

 ated within 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) of any dwelling. 



These prohibitions apply equally to excavations or embankments of earth having 

 for their purpose the extension in area or deepening of bodies of water already 

 existing. 



Article 2. All infractions of the preceding article will be subject to a fine of from 

 50 to 100 P. T. ($2.47 to §4.93). Not only are those who actually perform such work 

 held liable, but also the owners, ailministrators, superintendents, or any other per- 

 sons who may have ordered or instigated the work of excavation or embankment- 



Article 3. The offenders will be, in addition, compelled to restore the ground to 

 the level it had before the excavations were made, and if after a month from the 

 date of the sentence such work has not been completed, the governor may cause the 

 same to be done at the expense of the offenders. 



Article 4. Such expense will be recovered in accordance with the provisions of 

 the decree of :March 25, 1880. 



o 



