New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-14
1proved March 1, 1872.
[GENERAL NAruRE-No. 18.l

GENERAL NATURE-No. 1871
An act to authorize the construction of a
bridge across the Missouri river at or near
st. Joseph, Missouri.
| Be it enacted by the Senate and House OF
| Representatives of the United States OF
! America in Congress assembled, That il
| shall be lawful for ''The St. Joseph Bridge
Building Company" corporation organ
| lied for that purpose under the general
| corporation laws of the State Of Mis-
souri,, to construct bridge across the
| Missouri river at or near Saint Jo-
| seph, Missouri, and to lay on and over
| said bridge railway tracks for the more
| perfect connection of any and all railways
that are now or which may hereafter be,
| constructed to the Missouri river at or near
| Saint Joseph, or to the river on the opposite
side of the same, near Saint Joseph; and
build, erect, and lay on and over said
bridge ways for wagons, vehicles of all
kinds, and for the transit of animals, and
to provide ways for foot passengers, and to
keep up, maintain, and operate said bridge
for the purposes aforesaid; and that when
said bridge is constructed all trains of all
railroads terminating at said river, and on
the opposite side thereof at or near Saint
Joseph, Missouri, shall be allowed to cross
said bridge for reasonable compensation. TO
the limitations and conditions hereafter
named. The owners of said bridge may
also charge and receive reasonable eOmpen-
satiOn or tolls for the transit over the said
bridge of all wagons, carriages, vehicles,
animals, and foot passengers.
SEC. 2. That any bridge built under the
provisions of this act may, at the option of
person, or persons, or corporation building
the same, be built as drawbridge with a
pivot or other form of draw, or with unbro-
ken or continuous spans; provided, that if
the same shall be made of unbrOken confirm
GUS spans it shall not be of less elevation in
any case than fifty feet above extreme high
water mark, as understood at the point of
location, to the bottom chord of the bridge
nor shall the spans of said bridge be less
than three hundred and fifty feet in length,
and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel
with the current of the river, and the main
span shall De over the main channel of the
river and not less than three hundred feet
IN length; and provided also, that if a
bridge shall be built under this act as
drawbridge the same shall be constructed
as a pivot drawbridge, with draw over
the main channel of the river at an accessi-
BILE and navigable point, and with spans of
not less than one hundred and sixty feet
IN length in the clear on each side /
OF the central or pivot pier of the draw, and
the next adjoining spans to the draw shall
not be less than two hundred and fifty feet:
and said spans shall not be less than thirty
feet above lOw-water mark, and not less
than ten feet above extreme high-water
mark, measuring TO the bottom chord of the
bridge, and the piers of said bridge shall be
parallel with the current of the river and
provided also, that said draw shall be
opened promptly upon reasonable signal
for the passage of boats whose construction
shall not be such as to admit of their pas
sage under the permanent spans of said
bridge, except when trains are passing over
the same, but in no case shall unnecessary
delay occur in opening the said draw during |
or after the passage of trains: And pro-
Vlded further, That the corporation building |
SAID bridge may, If not unauthorized by the |
provisions ofits charter of incorpation, enter |
upon the banks of said river, either above
or below the point of the location of said |
bridge, for distance of seven miles, and |
erect and MAINTAIN breakwaters or use such |
other means as may be necessary to make |
a channel for said river. and eonfne the |
now OF the water to a permanent channel, |
and TO do whatever may be necessary to &C |
compllsh said object, but shall not impede |
or obstruct the navigation of the said river: |
and all plans for such works or cree |
tons upon the banks Of the river shall first |
be submitted to the Secretary of War for
his approval
49, y A44oG 3uJ bAllSo Dullb uuuGE bufS
act, and according to its limitations, shall
be a lawful structure, and shall be recog-
MED and known as post-route, upon
which, also, no higher charge shall be made
tor 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 their transportation over the rail-
roads or public highways leading to the
said bridge.
Sec 4. That in case of any litigation
arising from any obstruction, or alleged OBJ
to the free navigation of the Mis-
souri, river, at or near the crossing of said
said bridge, and caused or alleged to be
caused thereby, the cause shall be COM
nenced and tried in the district courts of
3ither judicial DISTRICTS of Missouri or Kan
3as in which the said bridge, or any portion
If such obstruction touches; and the right
% alter or amend this act so as to prevent
II remove all material distractions to the
navigation of said river by the construction
If said bridge is hereby expressly reserved,
md all such alterations, when required bV !
aw, shall be made at the expense of said
bridge company; and the plan on which
uch bridge is intended to be built and shall |
'e built, shall be first submitted to and APP
proved by the Secretary of War.
SEC. 5 That the Saint joseph Bridge
Building Company, after the passage Of
his act, snail not have the right to assign
he charter vhieh said company now holds
y assignment from the Saint Joseph and
Denver City Railroad Company, and which
vas granted to said last named company by I
1rtue OF an act of Congress, approved July
Ourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, {
any other company, person, or persons;
or shall said bridge building company be {
ermitted, under the said charter so OBJ
AIMED as aforesaid from the Saint Joseph
nd Denver City Railroad Company, to
Onstruct any other bridge than the one
ow being constructed at Saint Joseph, Mis-
)uri.
Approved March 5, 1872.