New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-05
[GENERA1 NAruRE-No. l8.l

GENERAL NATURE-NO. Is.
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 ''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 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
buC 4uuAbdLlouS anu GOuulLIOuS noT6dIL6f
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 a
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 a
bridge shall be built under this act as a
drawbridge the same shall be constructed
as pivot drawbridge with a 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:
anu SllAt1 AlOl D6 less LlaH GDlHEV
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 OF its 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 confne the
low OF the water to a permanent channel,
and 70 do whatever may be necessary to ac-
comphsh said object, but shall not impede
or 0bstruct the navigation of the said river:
and all plans for such works or cree I
uOns 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
IOA tASOuACy anu Shall Dc f6COQ-
nlzeQ ana known as a pOst-route, upon |
which, also, no higher charge shall be made
1or 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
Sec. 4. That in case of anv Itigatior
arising from any obstruction, or alleged oh
structlon, to the free navigation of the Mis-
souri, river, at or near the CROSSING of soi6
said bridge, and caused or alleged to he
caused thereby, the cause shall be COM
menced and tried IN the district eourts of
elCher Judicial districts of Missouri or Kan
sas IN which the said bridge, or any nortion
OF such obstruction touches: and tba r;gbt
to alter or amend this act so as to nrevent
or remove all material distractions to tba
navigation of said river bv the cOnstrnction
OF said bridge is hereby expressly reserved
and all such alterations, when reouired nv
law, small De made at the expense of said
prlqge company; and the plan on which
such orldge is intended to be built. and shall |
be built, shall be first submitted to and an
proved py the Secretary of War.
2LI: D. mat the Saint Joseph Bridge
Pun: company, after the passage of
e eIi acI snail not have the right to assign
t gn0 cndrter which said company now holds
~ assignment from the Saint joseph and
~ Lever YER. Clty Railroad Company, and which
was granted to said last named cOnnanv IN
s sLrCQe OF an act of Congress- approved JnIy
y .ourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventh {
~ any other company, person, or persons,
lott snail said bridge building company he {
under the said charter so oh
AIMED as aforesaid from the Saint Josenb
s aons4 Denver City Railroad Company, to
,oT1T LUZ luz any other bridge than the one
Ouri. oseph, MIS-
Approved March S, 1872.