Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/1007

 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 813. 1901. 955 the river traffic, and a draw opening of the low bridge shall, if prac- _. tieable, be located next or near the shore: Provided, also, That in case 0p§g,‘},;s°;g§ "'**" of a low bridge, if the physical characteristics of the locality so require ` and the interests of navigation be not injured thereby, the lengths of the fixed spans or the number of the draw openings may be reduced: Provided, also, That for any two adjacent draw openings of two hun- Piers ewdred feet one draw opening of three hundred feet may be substituted, if the interests of navigation be not injured thereby; and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel with the current of the river where said bridge shall be erected, and the bridge itself at right angles thereto: Provided, also, That said bridge s all be opened promptly, upon Opening "’°W· reasonable signal, for the passage of boats, except when trains are passing over the draw; but in no case shall unnecessary delay occur 1n opening the said draw during or after the passage of trains. Sec. 3. That any bridge constructed under this Act and according to imléewfglrouggfuctufe its limitations shall be a lawful structure and shall be known as a ost P0 ' route, and the same is hereby declared to be a post route, u on which also no higher charge shall be made for transmission over th)e same of the mails, the troops, and the munitions of war of the United States, and for passen ers and freight passing over said bridge, than the rate r mile paid ger their transportation over the railroads and public highways leading to the bridge; and equal privileges in the use of said c0‘,;f;);§l§;Qh· et"-- brid e shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies; and ° " the Cnited States shall have the right of way for postal-telegraph purposes across said bridge. Sec. 4. That all railroad companies desiring to use said bridge shall ,w*fgf‘*·‘* of m“'°¤d¤ have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges in the passage of ` the same, and in the use of the machinery and fixtures thereof, and of all the approaches thereto, under and upon such terms and conditions as shall be rescribed by the Secretary of War, upon hearing the allegations andpproofs of the parties, in case they shall not agree. Sec. 5. That the structure herein authorized shall be built and &p§$r'§§;“I§{;,g§ W“' “’ located under and subject to such regulations for the security of navi— ` gation of said river 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 drawing of the bridge and a map of the location, giving, for the space of one mile above and one mile below the proposed location, the topogra hy of the banks of the river, the shore line at high and low water, the direction and strength of the current 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 shall be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until the said plan and location of the bridge are decided by the Secretary of War to be such as will not materially affect the_ interest of navigation, the bridge shall not be commenced or built; and should any change be made in plan of said bridge during the progress of construction, or after completion, such change shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War; and said bridge shall be constructed with such aids to the passage of said bridge, in the form of booms, dikes, piers, or other suitable and proper structures for confining the ilow of water to a permanent and easily navigated channel, for a istance of not less than one mile above the bridge location, and for the guiding of rafts, steamboats, and other water craft safely through the draw and raft spans, as the Secretary of War shall prescribe and order to be constructed and maintained at the expense of the company Owning said bridge; and the said bridge shall be at all times so kept Llglm and managed as to offer reasonable and proper means for the passage of vessels through or under said structure; and for the safety of vessels passing at night there shall be displayed on said bridge, from the