Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 33 Part 1.djvu/929

 842 FIFTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. III. Ch. 1309. 1905. Much Z 1905- CHAP. 1309.-An Act Relating to the Monroe and Lake Providence Railroad [ri. R. mcs.] Company Pub ,No. 129. [ uc ] Be it enacted by the Senate and Ifmse of Representatives of the United B<>¤¤f Kimi__ Md States of America in (kmgress assembled, That the Monroe and Lake B°»i'3ih·¥e°°:iih rlare Providence Railroad Company, a corporation created and organized §;““f,';°;,;‘{,¥,‘g°;§ under the laws of the State of Louisiana, be, and the same is hereby, Mmvw bridse- authorized to construct and maintain, for the passage of railway trains, bridges with sin le or double tracks and apppoaches thereto over Boeuf River and Rayon Macon, in the State of uisiana, at such locations as may be approved by the Secretary of War. S¤¤r:_;¤¤;rm Sec. 2. That the said bridges shall be located and built under and mm P '°subjectbtgl such lfegbxgations fop ppc secugitgl of ngvigation ashsiiall ge rescribe b thecretary o ar, an e said company s a su - rlhit to the Sdhretary of War, for his examination and approval, designs and drawings of the bridges and maps of the locations, giving for the · space of a mile above and a mile below the proposed locations the topography of the banks of the river, the s ore lines at high and low water, the direction and strength of the current at all stages, the soundjngs accuratel showing the bed of the stream; and until the plans and locations liave been approved by the Secretary of War the bridges shall not be built or commenced. The Secretary of War shall have power to require such other information as he may deem neceschanges sary for a full understanding of the subject. Any changes made in the plans of said bridges during the progress of construction or after completion shall be sub`ect to the approval of the Secretary of War; and the said com n shall, at its own expense, make such changes in said bridges as m Secretary of War may at any time direct in the interest of navi ation. - ·uI&•p‘gé“r})ugm°*“’€ Sec. 3. Thatgny bridge built under this Act and subject to its limi- ` tations shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post route, upon which no higher charge shall be made for the transmission of mails and the troops and munitions of war of the United States over the same than the rate per mile paid for the transportation over the railroad or approaches Ieadin to the said brid e; and it shall enjoy the rights and privile es of other post—roads in die United States, and equal privileges in the use of said brid e shall be m?h2¤8*¤P¤· ¤¢¤·» granted to all telegraph and telephone companies, and ae United ` tates shall have the right of way across said bridges and their approaches for postal-telegraph and telephone purposes. n%*;>1b¤¤’¤¢¤<><l MM- mc.  That each of the said bridges shall be constructed with its ` ‘ center line substantially at right angles to the current of the river. and as a drawbridge, so that a free and unobstructed passe eway ma * ¤8¤**·*·=*°· be secured to all water craft navigating said river. The draws shall be opened promptly, upon reasonable signals, for the passage of boats or vessels, and the said company shall maintain at its own ex ense, gpmdsupspfs to sungige, such lights or other signals as the Light-glouse ar s a rescri. "“ ">'°°*’°’ '“°‘*'· Sec. 5. That all railroad companies desirin the use of the said bridges shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges rela- _ five to the passage of railway trains over the same, and over the °°“‘P°”“°“°“· approaches thereto, upon the payment of reasonable compensation for such use ;_and in case the owner or owners of said bridges, 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 bridges, all matters in issue between them shall be decided by the Secretary of. War upon the hearing of the allegations and proofs of the parties. me reserved; and this Act shall be null and void if actual construction of
 * {::¤;¤¤¤¢· E- Sm;. 6, That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly