Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/849

 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 381. 1901. 797 authorized to construct and maintain a railway bridge across Saint Joseph River at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at or near the city of Saint Joseph, in the State of Michigan. Sec. 2. That said bridge built under this Act and subject to its lim- miéii gstijjmgémciuic itations shall be a lawful structure and shall be recognized and known P “ ' 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 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 shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other dpost roads in the United States; and equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall et§<>¤¢¤i feiesiiirh. be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies, and the United ' States shall have the right of way across said bridge and its approaches for postal telegraph purposes: ]’7·0vi0Zed, That the bridge herein §{ggi;*g·nBvi mm authorized to be constructed shall be so kept and managed by the com- gu ' pany owning or oplerating it as to afford proper ways and means for the passage throug or under it of vessels, bar es, or rafts at all times, both by day and by night; and there shall be displayed on said bridge, Lishwfrom sunset to sunrise, such lights and signals as the Light—House Board shall prescribe. ' Sec. 3. That all railroad companies desiring the use of said brid e Rights of railroads shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the m "S°' passage of railway trains over the same and the approaches thereto upon payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; or, in case of disa reement, upon such terms and conditions as shall be prescribed by the%ecretary o War upon hearing the allegations and proofs of the parties in interest. Sec. 4. That the brid e authorized to be constructed under this Act u,,§$,$,’$;*;,'f;§; Wa' "° shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations for the ' security of navigation of said river as the Secretary of War shall pliescribe, and to secure that objict the said company or corporation s all submit to the Secretary of ’ar, for his examination and approval, a desi n and drawings of said bridge and a map of the location iving for ie slpace of one mile above and one mile below the proposeg location of the bridge the topography of the banks of the river, with shore lines at high an low water, the direction and strength of the currents at all stages, and the soundings, accurately showing the bed of the stream, the location of any other bridge or bridges, and shall furnish such other information as may be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until the said plans and location of the bridge are approved b the Secretary of War the bridge shall not be built; and should any change be made in the plan of the said brid e Ch¤¤¤°~¤- during the process of construction, such change shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War, and said structure shall be changed at the cost and expense of the owners thereof from time to time, as the Secretary of War may direct, so as to preserve the free and convenient navigation of said river. Sec. 5. That this Act shall be null and void if actual construction of c(f’,{,’;}{§;$g‘,;’°m°°*°”d the bridge herein authorized be not commenced within one year and ` completed within three years from the date hereof. Sec. 6. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby A·”°“'*m°“°- expressly reserved. ` Approved, February 18, 1901.