Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/836

 784 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. CHS. 356,357. 1901. bids in accordance with the provisions of law appertaining thereto, at an expense not to exceed in the aggregate the sum of three thousand — dollars, payable out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, a steam launch suitable for use in the customs collection district of Galveston, Texas. Approved, February 12, 1901. February 12, 1901. CHAP. 357. —An Act To authorize the Chattahoochee and Gulf Railroad Company, ·······—····— of Alabama, to construct a bridge across the Choctawhatchee River, a navigable stream in Geneva County, Alabama. Be it enacted by the Senate and Hmzseépf Representatives of the United cnamnmcnee and States of Amer·iea in Congress assemble ·, That the Chattahoochee and EL'H1§°§iE§‘2,‘;€§‘$,¥ Gulf Railroad Company, of Alabama, be, and is hereby, authorized to g*;§g?: Al};*’°*‘ mr construct and maintain and operate a bridge across the Choctawhatchee `River, a navigable stream, in the county of Geneva, State of Alabama; said blridge to be located about eleven miles from the town of Geneva in said county. ` Secremly of War to SEo. 2. That said brid e shall be built and located under and subject °"”°v° P am" to such regulations for tie security of navigation as the Secretary of VVar may prescribe; and to secure that object the said The Chattahoochee and Gulf Railroad Company, of Alabama, shall submit for his examination designs and drawings of the bridge, and maps of the location, giving, for the space of one-half mile above and one-half mile below the roposed location, the topography of the banks of the river, the shore lines at high and low water, the direction and strength of the currents, and the soundin s, accurately showing the bed of the river, and shall furnish such otilxer information as may be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject, and until the said plans and location are approved by him the bridge shall not be commenced or built; and shou d any chan e be made in said bridge, before or afterl cqmlplegion, such plgarnges siall be likewise subject to the a rova o the_ ecretary o ar. Aidsm navigation. PSM;. 3. That said bridge shall be kept and managed so as to offer reasonable and pro er means fO1' the passage of vessels and craft mgm. through or under the same; and for the safety of vessels passing at night there shall be displayed `on said bridge at night, from sunset to sunrise, at the e ense of the owners thereof, such lights or other changes, signals as the Liélit-House Board may prescribe. And any changes in said bridge w ich the Secretary of War may at any t1me deem necessary, and order in the interests of navigation, shall be made by the owners thereof at their own expense. mgm or mimas Sec. 4. That all railroad companies desiring the use of the bridge °°““‘ authorized by this Act shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains or cars over the same and over the approac es thereto upon the payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case the owner or owners of said bridge and the several railroad companies, or any one of them, desiring such use shall fail to agree upon the sum or sums to be paid, and upon rules and conditions to which each shall conform in using said bridge, all mattersat issue between them shall be decided by the Secretary of War upon a hearing of the allegations and proof of the parties; and equal privile es in the use of said bridge shall be granted to all telegraph and telepgone companies. Lawful structure Sec. 5. That the bridge constructed, maintained, and operated under md "°s"°“t°‘ this Act and according to its limitations shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post route,..upon which also no higher charge shall be made for the transportation over the same of