United States Statutes at Large/Volume 5/24th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 258
Chap. CCLVIII.—An Act to provide for the better protection of the western frontier.
President to cause a military road to be surveyed.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to cause to be surveyed and opened, a military road, from some point upon the right bank of the Mississippi river, between the mouth of the St. Peter’s and the mouth of the Desmoines river, upon such route as may appear best calculated to effect the purposes of this act, to Red river.
To pass west of Missouri and Arkansas, on condition, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said road shall pass west of the State of Missouri and of the Territory of Arkansas, on condition that the assent of the Indian tribes who have not heretofore given their assent, through whose territory said road is to pass, shall be first obtained; and if such assent cannot be obtained, then east of the western boundaries of said State and Territory; and shall be so constructed as to enable troops to move along the same with proper facility. And the following mode of construction shall be adopted, subject to such alterations and additions as the President may, from time to time, direct to be made. The timber shall be cut down to a reasonable width, and the west and marshy places shall be causewayed or otherwise rendered passable; cheap bridges shall be erected over the smaller streams, not having good fords across them; and, where it may be found necessary, the road may be thrown up in the centre.
Military posts to be established.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the military posts shall be constructed at such places along said road as in the opinion of the President, may be most proper for the protection of the frontier, and for the preservation of the necessary communication.
Troops of the United States may be employed in the labor, &c.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the troops of the United States shall be employed in performing the labor herein required, whenever, in the opinion of the President, the same can be done with a just regard to their other duties; and the other labor rendered necessary shall be procured in such manner as the President may direct.
Approved, July 2, 1836.