New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-08
Approved March l, 1872.
GENERAL NATURE-No. 1871

this act.
Approved March l, 1872.
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 it
| shall be lawful for 50 rhe st. Joseph Bridge
| Building Company" corporation organ
| lied for that purpose under the general
Incorporation laws of the State of Mis-
souri,, to construct a 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
be made to the owners of the same, under
the limitations and conditions hereafter
named. The owners of said bridge may
also charge and receive reasonable cOmpen-
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 a drawbridge, with
pivot or other form of draw, or with unbro-
ken or continuous spans; provided, that if
the same shall be made of unbroken continu-
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 be over the main channel of the
river and not less than three hundred feet
in length; and provided also, that if
bridge shall be built under this act as a
drawbrldge the same shall be constructed
as a pivot draw bridge, with draw over
the main channel of the river at an accessi-
bic and navigable point, and with spans of
not less than one hundred and sixty feet
in length in TIE clear on each side
VI S44S OCA4bA al VI pRNOJ pier VI INC uTdWs anu
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
vided further, That the corporation building
said bridge may, If not unauthorized by the |
provisions fits charter of incorpatiOn, enter
upon the banks of said river, either above |
or below the point of the location of said |
bridge, for a 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 cOntine the |
flow OF the water to permanent channel, |
and TO do whatever may be necessary to ac- |
comphsh said object, but shall not impede
or obstruct the navigation of the said river: |
and all plans for such works OF cree
tons upon the banks of the river shall first |
be submitted to the Secretary of War for |
his approval
SEC. 3. That any bridge built under this |
act, and according to its limitations shall |
be lawful structure, and shall be recog- |
nlzed and known 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 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. T. That in case of any litigation |
arising from any obstruction, or alleged OBJ |
structiOn, 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 |
menced and tried In the district courts of |
either Judicial districts of Missouri or Kan |
sas in which the said bridge, or any portion /
OF such obstruction touches; and the right !
to alter OF amend this act so as to prevent |
or remove all material distractions to the /
navigation of said river by the construction
OF said bridge is hereby expressly reserved,
and all sHch alterations, when required BY
law, shall be made at the expense of said !
bridge company; and the plan on which |
such bridge is intended to be built; and shall
be built, shall be first submitted to and an
proved by the Secretary of War.
SEC. >. That the Saint Joseph Bridge |
Building Company, after the passage of |
this act, shall not have the right to assign
the charter which said company now holds
by assignment from the Saint Joseph and
Denver City Railroad Company, and which
was granted to said last named company by
virtue of an act of Congress, approved july
fourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy.
to any other company, person, OF persons;
nor shall said bridge building company be
permitted, under the said charter SO OBJ
tanned as aforesaid from the Saint Joseph
and Denver City Railroad Company, to
any other bridge than the one
now being constructed at Saint Joseph, Mis-
souri,.