An Act Authorizing the Improvement of the River Front on the South Side of the Pasig River at the Expense of the Civil Government by the Taking Down of a Part of the City Wall of Manila and the Erection of a River Wall, and the Reclaiming of Land Behind the Same, and Providing the Mode in which Such Work shall be Done

March 6, 1903

ACT NO. 669

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER FRONT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PASIG RIVER AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT BY THE TAKING DOWN OF A PART OF THE CITY WALL OF MANILA AND THE ERECTION OF A RIVER WALL, AND THE RECLAIMING OF LAND BEHIND THE SAME, AND PROVIDING THE MODE IN WHICH SUCH WORK SHALL BE DONE

SECTION 1. That part of the city wall extending from the Santo Domingo Gate to the Almacen Gate, along the south side of the Pasig River, in the city of Manila, shall be taken down. The moat between the bridge of Santo Domingo Gate and the Pasig River shall be filled up after proper drainage pipes have been constructed, allowing the drainage from the rest of the moat to drain into the Pasig River, and a river wall shall be constructed from or near the east bank of the moat where it empties into the Pasig River to a point opposite and at or near the present site of the Almacen Gate. The bottom of the river behind this wall thus newly to be constructed shall be reclaimed by filling in behind the wall sufficient earth or other material to make the space filled level with the surrounding land. The river in front of the wall shall be dredged to the depth of eighteen feet so as to permit the mooring alongside of the wall of the largest steamers which enter the river. The improvement hereby authorized and directed shall be in accordance with the general plan prepared by Major Sears, Corps of Engineers of the United States Army, in charge of the Port Works of Manila, and Captain McGregor, Corps of Engineers of the United States Army, then acting as City Engineer, which plan was one of two plans prepared and submitted by such engineers and is the one known as Plan Number Two, now on file in the Office of the Commission.

SECTION 2. All the land between the river wall and Calle Maestranza, including that to be reclaimed and that which is now covered by the city wall to be taken down by virtue of this Act, is hereby declared to be property of the Insular Government and subject to the disposition of the Commission only, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July second, nineteen hundred and two. The cost of this improvement shall be defrayed out of the funds of the Insular Treasury.

SECTION 3. The improvement authorized and enjoined in section one of this Act shall be carried on under the immediate direction of the City Engineer of Manila and under the supervision of the Consulting Engineer of the Commission. The plans and specifications for the improvement shall be prepared by the City Engineer and concurred in by the Consulting Engineer of the Commission as soon as practicable. The plans and specifications thus prepared shall be submitted to the Municipal Board and to Civil Governor for the approval of each, and when thus approved shall be the plans and specifications upon which bids as hereinafter provided shall be invited and the work done.

SECTION 4. After the plans and specifications shall be finally approved as directed in the preceding section, the City Engineer shall advertise for bids for the construction of the work in two papers printed in the English language in the city of Manila and in two papers printed in the Spanish language in the city of Manila, and also in one paper printed in Hongkong and in a paper printed in Singapore, at least once a week for three weeks. Bids shall be received within one month after the first publication in the newspapers in Manila. Bids shall be opened in the presence of the Municipal Board, and the contract shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, upon the recommendation of the City Engineer and the Consulting Engineer, and with the approval of the Civil Governor. Authority shall be reserved to reject any and all bids. If the amount bid for the work is, in the opinion of the Municipal Board and the Civil Governor, too high, all bids shall be rejected and new bids advertised for in the same manner as provided for the first bids. Should the bids continue at the second bidding to be too high in the opinion of the Municipal Board and the Civil Governor, then, by order of the Municipal Board, with the approval of the Civil Governor, the City Engineer, under the supervision of the Consulting Engineer, may be given authority to proceed with the work by the direct employment of labor and the direct purchase of material. The advertisement for bids shall require the beginning of the work within a certain time and its completion within a certain time, and such terms shall be embodied in the contract. A bond of ten thousand dollars, signed by a fidelity insurance company authorized to give such bond in these Islands, shall be deposited with every bid made, and no bid shall be received and considered unless such bond shall accompany it. The contract shall provide for partial payments upon estimates of the City Engineer, approved by the Consulting Engineer of the Commission.

SECTION 5. The contracts may contain a provision giving to the contractor the use of all suitable stone taken out of the walls for the construction of a new river wall, and also for the use of the d√©bris for the filling in of the moat and the filling in of the river bottom behind the river wall, as in the discretion of the City Engineer and the Consulting Engineer may seem best.

SECTION 6. Except where this Act specifically provides otherwise or is inconsistent with the general rules and regulations contained in section five of Act Numbered Twenty-two, such rules and regulations shall control in the letting of bids, and the conduct of work upon this improvement so far as the same are applicable.

SECTION 7. The City Engineer shall make to the Consulting Engineer of the Commission detailed monthly reports of the progress of the work directed hereunder, containing a statement of the expenditures made during the month, and the Consulting Engineer shall transmit the same to the Civil Governor.

SECTION 8. After the contract shall have been duly awarded in accordance herewith, the contract shall be signed by the contractor and his sureties, on the one hand, and by the Municipal Board and the Civil Governor on the other, and the incurring of the liability of the Insular Government by reason of such contract is hereby authorized. The amounts necessary for the payment of the contractor under the contract shall be provided in current appropriation bills upon the estimate of the City Engineer approved by the Consulting Engineer of the Commission.

SECTION 9. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

ENACTED, March 6, 1903. CAIHTE