398 
Secondary or Narrow Gawje Railways 
Article 5. — The present concession is made for nvncty years from the d<atc 
of opening of the entire Hne. At the expiration of the said term of years, the 
railway and its accessory parts, which must be in good working order, will 
become the property of the Department, and to that effect no indemnity what- 
soever will be due to the company. As regards stock of materials and fuel, 
the Department will bo held, if the company insists, to purchase all such 
materials at a price to be estimated by experts. 
Article 6. — The present agreement is subject to the subsidy granted by 
Government being obtained, as stipulated by the application of the law of 
July 12, 18G5. This subsidy will belong to the j^erson obtaining the con- 
cession, as well as the sums which may be subscribed by the parishes and 
private individuals. 
It remains understood that the land necessary for rectifications (crossing 
villages, changing directions), as well as for the construction of workshops, 
sheds, reservoirs, storing fuel and material, in confoi-mity with the plans 
approved of by the Administration, will be supplied gratuitously by the 
contractors. 
Article 7. — As the line referred to in the present contract is constructed 
experimentally, the Department will reserve to the contractor the preference 
on equal terms, and within a period of three years from the date of the signa- 
ture of the present treaty, for any other narrow gauge railway which may 
ultimately be constructed, and particularly 
1. A line from Void to Etain by Sorcy, Gironville, and Vigneulles. 
2. From A^'igneuUes to Clermont-cn-Argonne, by Saint-Mihiel, Chaumont- 
sur-Aire, and Bauzee. 
3. From Bar-le-Duc to Verdun by Varincourt and Souilly. 
4. From Void to Naix. 
Article 8. — The costs of stamijing and registering the present treaty and 
the estimate will be borne by the person obtaining the concession. 
The contracting parties have attached their signatures hereto, after having 
read the same. 
The Prefect of the Meuse. The Contractor. 
(Signed) H. Eousseau. (Signed) L. Soulie. 
OFFICIAL GAZETTE OF FEBRUARY 17, 1877. 
Decree. 
The President of the French Republic, 
On a report of the Miuister of Public Works, 
Having taken into consideration the preliminary plans presented for 
constructing in the Dejiavtment of the Meuse a railway for local use, and 
particularly the Official Report of the Committee of Inquiry, dated Maj- 27, 
187C, 
Decrees : 
Article 1. — It is declared of public utility to construct a narrow gauge 
railway for local service from Haironville to Triancourt, passing by or near 
Ville-sur-Saulx, Mogneville, Revigny-aux-Vachcs, iSro3'ers and Vaubecourt. 
The present declaration of public utility will be considered as null and void 
if the necessary dispossessions (expropriations) for the execution of the above 
road are not accomplished within a period of four years from the date of the 
present decree. 
Article 2. — The Department of the Meuse is authorised to attend to the 
execution of the present line as a railway of local interest, according to the 
stipulations of the law of July 12, 1865, and in conformity with the con- 
