To provide for adjoining farm entries upon the public lands of the State. Citizens of the State, owning less and sixty acres. State lands at Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, That any person who is a citizen of the State of Louisiana, and who owns now, or may hereafter acquire, a tract of land in the than one hundred State of Louisiana, less than one hundred and sixty acres, may empowered to pur purchase at the rate of twelve and one-half cents per acre, in chase contiguous addition to such office fees as are now allowed by law, a suf- twelve and one-half ficient quantity of such State lands to increase to one hundred cents per acre. and sixty acres, or any quantity less than one hundred and sixty acres; provided, that the land so owned and which is sought to be increased to one hundred and sixty acres, or a less quantity, is used bona fide for actual settlement and cultivation; and, provided further, that the applicant for such increase shall esExceptional tablish to the satisfaction of the State land officers, that his clauses and propurpose in seeking such increase is the honest and bona fide in- visions. tention to enlarge his farm area; provided further, that the land so purchased shall be contiguous to the tract owned at the time of making such entry; and provided further, that no person who has acquired under the provisions of any act gradnating State lands, a quantity of land equal to one hundred and sixty acres, shall be permitted to take the benefit of this act. SEC. 2. That all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this act be and the same are hereby repealed, and that this act shall take effect from and after its promulgation. S. P. HENRY, Speaker of the House of Representatives. JAMES JEFFRIES, Repealing clause. To amend sections one (1), nine (9), thirteen (13), fifteen (15) and twenty (20) of Act No. 59 of the acts of 1886, entitled, 66 an act to incorporate the board of commissioners of the Tensas Basin Levee District, to define their powers, to prescribe their duties, to authorize them to levy taxes and assessments, to issue bonds and to provide for their payment, principal and interest, by taxation, and the proceeds of the sale of State lands, and to repeal Act No. 26 of the session acts of 1884, creating the Tensas Basin Levee Dis ed. trict, as now organized, and all acts amendatory thereto and all laws inconsistent with. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State Section 1 amend of Louisiana, That section one (1) of said Act No. 59 be Purposes of the public levee district amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows: That the parishes of Morehouse, West Carroll, Richland, Franklin and Catahoula, and all that portion of the parishes of Ouachita and Caldwell, east of the Ouachita river, be and they hereby are formed into a public levee district, to be known as the Tensas Basin Levee District; for the purpose of raising, by taxation formation of the or otherwise, a revenue to protect the lands located therein new and additional from inundation, by constructing, maintaining and repairing levees and other works of public improvements. Said taxation shall be levied on the lands and other taxable property in said district, subject to taxation, for levee purposes, under Article 214 of the Constitution. But in all cases where it shall be Under what limi- found that only a portion of the sixteenth of a section is subject taxation is to be to taxation for levee purposes, then the whole of said sixteenth of a section shall be valued or assessed, and the tax levied upon the portion thereof subject to taxation shall be upon the basis of said assessment. tations the required levied. ed. SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, etc., That section nine (9) of Section 9 amend said Act No. 59 of the acts of 1886, be amended and re enacted so as to read as follows: Authorization to That for the purpose of raising additional funds for said district, the said board of levee commissioners shall have the the levee commis power, and it hereby is authorized, to levy an annual contribusioners for the rais- tion or assessment upon all lands in said district subject to ing of additional taxation for levee purposes, not to exceed five (5) cents per funds. acre; said contribution or assessment shall be assessed and collected and paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the Tensas Basin Levee District, in the same manner and at the same time as the other taxes herein provided for are assessed, collected and paid. the imits of the district. That in order to provide additional means to carry out the purposes of this act, and to furnish resources to enable said board to assist in developing, establishing and completing, either within or without the State, a system of levees and other works of public improvement, designed to aid in protecting property in Gift, grant, dona the Tensas Basin Levee District from disastrous floods, all tion, conveyance and delivery of all lands now belonging, or that may hereafter belong to the State State lands within of Louisiana, and embraced within the limits of the Tensas Basin Levee District as herein constituted, shall be, and the same hereby are given, granted, bargained, donated, conveyed and delivered unto said board of levee commissioners of the Tensas Basin Levee District whether said lands or parts of the lands originally granted by the Congress of the United States to this State or whether said lands have been, or may hereafter be, forfeited to, or bought in by or for, or sold to the State, at tax sales for non-payment of taxes; where the State has, or may hereafter become the owner of lands, by or through tax sales, conveyances thereof, shall only be made to said board of levee commissioners after the period of redemption shall have expired; provided, however, that any and all former owners of lands which have been forfeited to purchasers by, or sold to the State for non-payment of taxes, may at any time within the six months next ensuing after the date of the passage of this act, redeem said lands, or any of them, upon paying to the treasurer of the State all taxes, interest, costs and penalties due thereon down to the date of such redemption, but such redemptions shall be deemed and be taken to be sales of lands by the State, and all and every sum or sums of money so received shall be placed to the credit of the Tensas Basin Levee District. After the expiration of said six months it shall be the duty of the auditor and the register of the State land office on behalf of and in the name of the State, to convey to the said board of levee commissioners, by proper instruments of conveyance the lands hereby granted or intended to be granted and conveyed to said board, whenever from time to time said auditor and said register of the State land office, or either of them, shall be requested to do so by said board of levee commissioners, or by the president thereof; and thereafter said president of said board shall cause said conveyances to be properly recorded in the recorder's office of the respective parishes wherein said lands are or may be located, and when said conveyances are so recorded the title to said lands, with the possession thereof, shall, from thenceforth vest absolutely in said board of levee commissioners, its successors or grantees; said lands shall be exempted from taxation after being conveyed to and while they remain in the possession or under the control of said board. Said board of levee commissioners shall have the power and authority to sell, mortgage, pledge or otherwise dispose of said lands in such manner and at such times and for such prices as to said board shall seem proper, but all proceeds derived therefrom shall be deposited in the State treasury to the credit of the Tensas Basin Levee District, and shall be drawn out only upon the warrants of the president of said board, properly attested as provided in this act. Contingent restrictions and con Provisions for the payment of bonds. SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, etc., That section thirteen (13) Section 13 amendof said act No. 59 be amended and re-enacted so as to read as ed. follows: That in order to pay the principal of said bonds when due, or to purchase the same before maturity at not more than their face value, and to provide a sinking fund therefor, five (5) and for a sinking per cent of the amount of said bonds shall be deposited annually with the treasurer of the State out of any funds that may be raised for levee purposes in said district. SEC. 4. fund. ed. Be it further enacted, etc., That section fifteen (15) of Section 15 amendsaid Act No. 59 be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows: How moneys aris bonds and from tax That all moneys arising from the sale of said bonds, or any of them, or that shall accrue to said district, by taxation or ing from the sale of otherwise, and be placed to the credit of the Tensas Basin Levee ation is to be held District, except the amounts provided for in this act for the and used. payment of the principal and interest of said bonds, shall be held and used to locate, construct, maintain and repair any and all public levees and other works of public improvement which, in the opinion of the Board of State Engineers, will aid in protecting said Tensas Basin Levee District from overflow, and for the payment of the salaries of the members of said board and their secretary, and the actual and necessary cost of organ ed. Section 20 amend Salaries and mileage of the commis secretary. izing said board and negotiating said bonds, and putting this act in force. SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, etc., That section twenty (20) of said Act No. 59 be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows: That the members of the board of levee commissioners of the Tensas Basin Levee District and their secretary shall each sioners and of the receive a salary of four ($4) dollars per day while in actual attendance at the meeting of said board, and five (5) cents per mile for distance traveled for once going to and returning from each meeting, or while attending to any business connected therewith, which shall be paid, as also all the other necessary expenses incurred in organizing said board, negotiating said bonds and putting this act in force by warrants drawn on the State Treasurer, attested as above provided. To amend and re-enact Article 3538 of the Revised Civil Code of Louisiana, relative to the prescription of actions by three years. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Louisiana, Art. 3538 R. C. C., That Article 3538 of the Revised Civil Code of Louisiana be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows: amended. ART. 3538. The following actions are prescribed by three years: That for arrearages of rent charge, annuities and alimony, The prescription or of the hire of movables and immovables. of three years as to arrearages, annui ties, alimonies, hires, money loans, That for the payment of money lent. That for the salaries of overseers, clerks, secretaries, and of salaries, fees and teachers of the sciences who give lessons by the year or quarter. That of physicians, surgeons and apothecaries for visits, operations and medicines. accounts. That of parish recorders, sheriffs, clerks and attorneys for their fees and emoluments. That on the accounts of merchants, whether selling for wholesale or retail. That on the accounts of retailers of provisions, and that of retailers of liquors, who do not sell ardent spirits in less quanties than a quart. That on all other accounts. This prescription only ceases from the time there has been an account acknowledged in writing, a note or bond given, or an action commenced. Creation of an additional justice and constable. East Car-. To create an additional Justice of the Peace and Constable in SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, etc., That immediately after the promulgation of this act, the Governor of the State shall appoint said Justice of the Peace and said Constable, who shall hold their offices until their successors are duly elected and inducted into office; provided, that said successors shall be elected at the general election in 1892, and every four years thereafter, as provided by law. Their appointment and continn ation in office. emoluments. SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, etc., That the jurisdiction, Their jurisdiction, powers, duties and emoluments of said Justice of the Peace and powers, duties and said Constable shall be such as are provided by the Constitution and laws now in force, or that may hereafter be enacted. |