Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 28.djvu/64

 FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Sess. H. Ch. 24. 1894. 35 CHAP. Q4.—An Act Authorizing the Gnlf, Beaumont and Kansas City Railway Com- pebmuy 2 1g9L pany to bridge the N echoes and Sabine Rivers in the States of Texas and Louisiana. —+% Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of fha United States of America in Congress assembled, Thai: the Gulf, Beaumont and KgQ;f§Bg?;“¤;g¤l§ ***6 Kansas City Railway Company, its successors or assigns, be, and is Company ;.iL;,»i:¤Yi;{ hereby, authorized to construct and maintain a railway bridge, and £Q°§h§§biI§f,“°fgi$§§‘· approaches thereto, over and across Neches River, in Texas; and also T¤x· ¤¤<1La· ' a, railway bridge, and approaches thereto, over and across Sabine River, in Texas and Louisiana, at such points as may be selected by said railway company subject to approval by the Secretary of War for crossing said rivers with its railroad line. Said bridges shall be con- n.¤1w¤K, wagon structed to provide for the passage of railway trains and, if the Sec- ‘"‘d f°°‘ ““g°· retary of War shall at any time so determine, may be used for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, for the transit of animals, for foot: passengers, for such reasonable rates of toll as may be T<>11¤- ~ approved from time to time by the Secretary of ¥Var. That if the said bridges, or either of them, over the said rivers shall be made with unbroken and continuous spans, there shall be at least one span of a Spans. height of not less than eighty feet above low water as understood at the point of location, measured to the lowest part of the superstructure of said bridge; and said span shall have zi clear opening of at least two hundred feet between the piers, measured at right angles to the current, and shall be over the main channel of the river, and the bridge or bridges shall be at right angles to and the piers parallel with the current of the river. And if the bridges, or either of them over the D"“"· said rivers shall be constructed as draw or pivot bridges the draw span shall be over the main phannel of the river at accessible navigable points, and the openings on each side of the pivot pier shall not be less than one hundred feet in the ck-ar unless otherwise expressly directed by the Secretary of War, and if so directed shall be according to such directions; and the said opening shall be accessible at all stages of water, and the spans shall not be less than ten feet above extreme H"‘g’“‘ °‘" “*"“'·‘·· high water, as understood at the point of location, to the lowest parts of the superstructure of the bridge, and the piers and draw rests shall be parallel with and the bridge or bridges at right; angles to the current of the river or rivers; and no riprap or other outside protection for imperfect foundations shall be permitted to approach nearer than four feet to the surface of the water at its extreme low stage, or otherwise to encroach upon the channel ways provided for in this Act; and all °"°"*"*""*"· and each of said draws shall be opened promptly, upon reasonable signal, for the passing of boats; and said company shall maintain at its own expense from sunset hill sunrise, such lights or other signals Lagms, ew. on said bridges as the Li ght-House Board may prescribe. Sec. 2. That any bridge built under this Act and subject to its limi- mIjIf;Q*mu$;’"‘”° tations shall be a. lawinl structure, and shall be recognized and known. ` as ai post route, upon which also no higher charge shall be made for the transmission over the same of the mails, the troops, and the munitions of war of the United States than the rate per mile paid for the transportntion over the railroad or public high ways leading to the said bridge; and it shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other post roads in the United States. Sec. 3. That no bridge shall be erected or maintained under the F'" ““"‘g"°°“· authority of this Act which shall at any time substantially or materially obstruct the free navigation of said rivers, and if any bridge erected under such authority shall, in the opinion of the Secretary of War, obstruct such navigation he is hereby authorized to cause such change armmges. or alteration of said bridge or bridges to be made as will effectual1y obviate such obstruction; and all such alterations shall be made and all such obstructions be removed at the expense of the owner or owners 0f said bridge. And in case of any litigation arising from any 0bS¤'H0~ mtagmm. tion or alleged obstruction to the free navigation of said river, coused or alleged to be caused by said bridge, the case may be brought in the