Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 25.djvu/423

 FIFTIETH CONGRESS. Sess. I. CHS. 752, 753. 1888. 377 Sec. 6._That this act shall be null and void if actual construction Commcucementand of the bridges herein authorized be not commenced within one year °°‘“pl°"°"· and completed within four years from the date thereof. Sec. 7. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby Amendment. expressly reserved. Approved, August 6, 1888. CHAP. 753.—An_act to authorize the Macon, Tuscaloosa and Birmingham Rail- August @1888- road Company to build bridges across the Black Warrior River and the Tombigbee __""""` River, in Alabama. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of,America in Congress assembled, That the Macon, Ma·%°¤·. 'l`¤S¢¤¤<><>e¤ Tuscaloosa and Birmingham Railroad Company, a corporation °»·;°2nB1xd§iii;€¤h:;l created and existing under the laws of Alabama, be, and is hereby, QQf‘}§° .}?"‘°*‘b"Y’*‘Q')"i°' authorized to erect and maintain bridges across the Black Warrior Rivers. Om lg ee River at or near Foster’s Ferry, or at such point near said ferry as shall be selected by said railroad company for crossing said river with their railroad line, and across the Tombigbee River in or near township twelve, at such oint as shall be selected by said railroad company for crossing said river with their railroad line, the said bridges to have each a draw—span. so as not to interfere with the navigation of said river: Provided, That an bridge constructed under this act P•"<w¤¤w· and according to its limitations shall be a lawful structure, and shall mIé“;,"0Q}r*mj‘,;“’“*’°S be known and recognized as a post-route, and the same·is hereb ` declared to be a post-route, upon which also no higher charge shall be made for the transmission over the same of the mails, the troops, and munitions of war of the United States, or for through passengets or freight passing over said bridge, than the rate per mile dpaid or their transportation over the railroads leading to the said bri ges, and equal privileges in the use of said bridges shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies ; and the United States shall have the right of way across said bridges and their approaches for ' postal-telegraph urposes. *’°s“*" *°l*’g’¤Ph· Sec. 2. That the plan and location of said bridges, with a detailed ap§)°fo'§;*'{2g§ ftzrw map of the rivers at the proposed sites of the bridges and near p ’ ` thereto, exhibiting the depths and currents, shall be submitted to the Secretary of \Var for his approval, and until he approves the plans and location of said bridges they shall not be bui t; but upon the approval of said plans by the Secretary of War the said company or corporation may proceed to the erection of said bridges in conformity with said a proved plan, and should any change be made in the plans of said) bridges during the progress of the work thereon, such change shall be subject likewise to the approval of the Secretary of \Var. And there shall be displayed on said bridges from sunset to sunrise such lights or other signals as miay be prescribed by the mgm, Light-House Board. Sec. 3. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal Amendment. this act at any time ; and that if at any time navigation of said rivers shall in any manner be obstructed or impaired by the said bridges, the Secretary of War shall have authority, and 1t shall be his dnt, to require the said railroad companly to alter and change the said bridges, at its own expense, in suc 1 manner as may be proper to secure free and complete navigation without impediment; Knobstructed naviand if upon reasonable notice to said railioad company to make such g“"°”· changes or improvements the said company fails to do so, the Secretary of WVar shall have authority to make the same at the expense of said company, and all the rights conferred by this act shall beforfeited; and Congress shall have power to do any and all things necessary to secure the free navigation of the said rivers