APPENDIX C. 347 



retary of War, and within the time prescribed by him willfully fail or refuse 

 to remove the same or to comply with the lawful order of the Secretary of 

 War in the premises, such persons, corporation, or association shall be 

 deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof shall be pun- 

 ished by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, and every month such per- 

 sons, corporation, or association shall remain in default in respect to the 

 removal or alteration of such bridge shall be deemed a new offense, and sub- 

 ject the persons, corporation, or association so offending to the penalties 

 above prescribed : Provided, That in any case arising under the provisions of Appeal 

 this section an appeal or writ of error may be taken from the district courts 

 or from the existing circuit courts direct to the Supreme Court either by 

 the United States or by the defendants. 



SEC. 19. That whenever the navigation of any river, lake, harbor, Removal of 

 sound, bay, canal, or other navigable waters of the United States shall be 

 obstructed or endangered by any sunken vessel, boat, water craft, raft, or 

 other similar obstruction, and such obstruction has existed for a longer pe- 

 riod than thirty days, or whenever the abandonment of such obstruction can 

 be legally established in a less space of time, the sunken vessel, boat, water 



craft, raft, or other obstruction shall be subject to be broken up, removed, May be brok- 

 en up and re- 

 Sold, or otherwise disposed of by the Secretary of War at his discretion, with- moved without 



liability, 

 out liability for any damage to the owners of the same : Provided, That in his 



discretion, the Secretary of War may cause reasonable notice of such ob- 

 struction of not less than thirty days, unless the legal abandonment of the 

 obstruction can be established in a less time, to be given by publication, 

 addressed "To whom it may concern," in a newspaper published nearest to 

 the locality of the obstruction, requiring the removal thereof: And provided Proposals for 



removal may 



also, That the Secretary of War may, in his discretion, at or after the time of be invited, 

 giving such notice, cause sealed proposals to be solicited by public advertise- 

 ment, giving reasonable notice of not less than ten days, for the removal of 

 such obstruction as soon as possible after the expiration of the above speci- 

 fied thirty days' notice, in case it has not in the meantime been so removed, 

 these proposals and contracts, at his discretion, to be conditioned that such 

 vessel, boat, water craft, raft, or other obstruction, and all cargo and prop- 

 erty contained therein, shall become the property of the contractor, and the 

 contract shall be awarded to the bidder making the proposition most advan- 

 tageous to the United States: Provided, That such bidder shall give satis- 

 factory security to execute the work: Provided further, That any money Money re- 

 ceived from 

 received from the sale of any such wreck, or from any contractor tor the sales of wrecks 



removal of wrecks, under this paragraph shall be covered into the Treasui-y in Treasury!. 1 ? 

 of the United States. 



SEC. 20. That under emergency, in the case of any vessel, boat, water 





