Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 28.djvu/80

 FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Sess. Il. Ch. 56. 1894. 51 Sec. 2. That any bridge built under this Act, and subjectto its limi- L=¤•·f¤i ¤¤r¤¤¢¤¤¤• tations, shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known md p°°`"°°t°°` as a 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 transportation over the railroad or public highways 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 U¤<>¤¤¤·¤¤¢¤<\ nviauthority of this Act which shall at any time substantially or materi- “°°`°°` ally obstruct the free navigation of said streams; 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 or alteration of said bridge or bridges to be made as will eifectually obviate such obstruction; and all such alterations shall be made and all such obstructions be removed at the expense of the owner or owners of said bridge. And in case of any litigation arising from any rmpass. obstruction or alleged obstruction to the free navigation of said streams, caused or alleged to be caused by said bridge, the case may be brought in the district court of the United States for the western district of Louisiana: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be so construed as rrqvsa. to repeal or modify any of the provisions of law now existing in refer- ,,,,E§§§"*-' L"' "°‘ ence to the protection of the navigation of rivers or to exempt said · bridges irom the operation of the same. Sec. 4. That all railway companies desiring the use of said bridges, Vg; '·Y °*'"" °"'°· or either of them, shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privi- Pm_ ` leges relative to the passage of railway trains over the same, and over the approaches thereto, upon payment of a reasonable compensation for such use. Sec. 5. That the bridges authorized to be constructed under this S¤¤r¤¤•ir vf WMM Act shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations °’°"°"°° ""` m' for the security of navigation: of said streams as the Secretary of War shall prescribe; and to secure that object the said company or corporation shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, a design and drawings of said bridges, and each of them, and a map of the location, giving, for the space of one·half mile above and one half-mile below the proposed location, the topography of the banks of the streams, the shore lines at high and low water, the direction and strength of the currents at all stages, and the soundings accurately showing the bed of the stream, the location of any other bridge or bridges, and shall furnish such other information as may be · required for a lull and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until the said plan and location of the bridge or bridges are approved by the Secretary of War the bridge or bridges shall not be built; and C*·¤¤¢••· should any change be made in the plan of said bridges, or either of them, during the progress of construction, such change shall be subject ‘ to approval of the Secretary of War. And the said structure shall be changed at the cost and expense of the owners thereof, from time to time, as the Secretary of War may direct, so as to preserve the free and convenient navigation of said streams, and the authority to erect and continue any and all of said bridges shall be subject to revocation by the Secretary of War whenever the public good, in his judgment, so requires. Sec. 6. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby =**··°¤**"·¤¤'· °*°~ expressly reserved. Sec. 7. That this Act shall be null and void if actual construction of w§,°;{j,‘{‘,*;j,_"f°“‘““° "‘“ the bridge or bridges herein authorized be not commenced within one year and completed within three years from the approval of this Act. Approved, April 5, 1894.