The right, title and interest of this State to, and the jurisdiction and control of this State over, a strip of land and land covered with water four hundred feet wide and lying two hundred feet on each side of the center line of the route selected by the United States for an inland waterway between Charleston Harbor and a point opposite McClellanville has been granted and ceded to the United States for the purpose of constructing and improving the inland waterways between Charleston Harbor and a point opposite the town of McClellanville, in Charleston County.
Said strip of land is described as follows, to wit: From the cove back of Sullivan's Island following the deepest water of Sullivan's Island Narrows to the bend next east of the point known as Spanish Fort; thence the route leaves the natural waterway and a marsh cut was made across a long bend; thence along the deepest part of the natural waterway to Branch Inlet; thence back of Isle of Palms to Meeting Reach and through it to the Seven Reaches; thence through Seven Reaches to Dewees Inlet; thence to and through Bull Yard Sound and into Capers Inlet; thence to and through Santee Pass to Price's Inlet; thence to and through Bull Narrows, having one marsh cut across a bend at or near the narrowest part of this passage; thence through Bull Creek and across the marsh to Seewee Creek; thence across the marsh to Vander Horst Creek; thence down said creek and across the marsh to Vander Horst Creek and through the marsh to Belvedere Creek; thence up Belvedere Creek and through the marsh to Salt Pond Creek; thence up Salt Pond Creek and through the marsh to Graham's Creek; thence up Graham's Creek, cutting across one sharp bend, and through the marsh to Awendaw Creek; thence down Awendaw Creek and Harbor River to Long Creek; thence by Long Creek and a marsh cut to Bull River; thence down Bull River to Five Fathom Creek, which junction is the nearest point in the proposed route to McClellanville.
Dredging material deposited on adjoining lands. The material dredged from the proposed channel in order to widen and deepen it may be disposed of by depositing such material upon the adjoining marshlands outside of the strip of land designated herein, if such disposal be found necessary or desirable for construction or maintenance of the channel. But by the use of such adjoining lands for such purpose the United States shall not acquire any right, title or interest in or to the lands outside of such strip four hundred feet wide, excepting the right to deposit material thereon.
Condition of grant. Such grant was made upon the condition that it would not be effectual as to any portion of the premises embraced in the foregoing description in which any person then had any right, title or interest or upon which any person then had any legal structures or improvements, until title was acquired by the United States to such right, title or interest or to such structures or improvements.
Service of process. There was reserved to this State a concurrent jurisdiction for the execution within such lands of all process, civil or criminal, lawfully issued by the courts of the State and not incompatible with such cession.
Land ceded tax free. All lands and tenements granted as aforesaid to the United States of America shall be, so long as they shall be used for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned, exonerated and discharged from all taxes, assessments and other charges which may be imposed under the authority of this State.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 39-118; 1952 Code Section 39-118; 1942 Code Section 2042; 1932 Code Section 2042; 1903 (24) 6.