382 LAWS APPLICABLE TO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



act of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and seventy- 

 three, entitled "An act making appropriations for sundry civil ex- 

 penses of the Government for the fiscal your ending June thirtieth, 

 eighteen hundred and seventy-four, and for other purposes," be, and 

 the same are hereby, placed under the supervision of the officer in 

 charge of the i)ublic buildings and grounds; and that the said officer 

 be authorized and empowered to make rules and reguhitions for the 

 working of said lines. And the Secretary or the Head of each Execu- 

 tive Department, and the Congressional Printer, are hereby author- 

 ized to detail one person from their present force of employ- 

 ees to operate the instruments in said Departments and printing 

 office, * * *. 



Act February 4. 1874, c. 22. IS Stnt. 14. 



.\ct March .''., 1ST.3, c. 227. 17 St.it. 519. mentioned in this act, makes 

 an approprintion "for connecting the capitol by telegraph, to be used 

 solely for public business, with all the departments of the government 

 and the government printing ofiice in the city of Washington." 



ACT MARCH 7. 1874, c. 50. (18 Stat. 20.) 



Use of telegraph lines connecting public buildings in Washington restricted to 

 public business. 



* * * That said lines of telegraph shall be for the use only of 

 Senators, Members of Congress, Judges of the United States courts 

 and officers of Congress and of the Executive Departments, and 

 solely on public business. 



Act iMarch 7. 1S74, c. 50. 18 Stat. 20. 



The telegraph lines referred to are those mentioned in act February 4. 

 1874, c. 22, and note thereunder set forth above. 



REV. ST. SEC. 5266. 



Government to have priority in transmission of messages over telegraph lines 

 on public domain. 



Sec. ;i2r)(). Telegrams l>etwoon the several Depai-tments of the Gov- 

 ernment and their officers and agents, in their transmission over the 

 lines of any telegraph company to which has been given the right of 

 way. timber, or station lands from the public 'domain shall have pri- 

 ority over all other business, at such rates as the Postmaster-General 

 shall annually fix. And no part of any appropriation for the seA^eral 

 Departments of the Government shall lx» paid to any company which 

 neglects or refuses to transmit such telegrams in accordance with the 

 provisions of this section. 



REV. ST. SEC. 5269. 



Refusal to transmit Government telegraphic communications; penalty. 



Sf.c. 5200. "Whenever any telegraj^h company, after having fded its 

 written acceptance with the Postmaster-General of the restrictions 

 and obligations required by the act approved July twenty-fourth, 

 eighteen hundred and sixty-six, entitled "An act to aid in the con- 

 struction of telegraph lines, and to secure to the GovernTuent the use 

 of the .same for postal, military, and other purposes," or by this Title, 

 shall, by its agents or employes, refu.=;e or neglect to transmit any such 

 telegraphic communications as «re provided for by the aforesaid act, 



