New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-16
pproved March 1, 1872.
[GENERA1 NAruRE-No. 1s.l

GENERAL NATURE-NO, IL.
| 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 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
buHd,' 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 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 bundled feet
in length; and provided also, that. IL a
bridge shall be built under this act as a
dTawbridge the same shall be constructed
as a pivot drawbridge, with a draw over
the main channel Of the river at an aecessi-
BILE and naVigable point, and with spans of
not less than one hundred and sixty feet
in length in tie 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-wateF 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 lie
parallel with the current of the river, and
provided also that sad draw shall be
opened promptly, upon reasonable signal,
for the passage of boats whose construction
shall not be such as 10 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-
yided further, That the corporation building
said bridge maY,l If not unauthorized by the
provisions Offs charter Of ine0TpatiOn 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 break waters or use such
other means as may be necessary to make
q channel for said river, and cOnfine the
flow of the water to a permanent channel,
and TO do whatever may be necessary to ac-
eomplish said, object, but shall not impede
Or-Obstruct the navigation of the said river;
and all plans for such works or seree-
tons upon the banks of the river shall first
be submitted to the Secretary of War for
his approval.
SEC. 8. That any bridge built under this
act and according to its limitations, shall
q
nized 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. A That in case Of any litigation
arising from any obstruction, or alleged OBJ
struotiOn, 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
meneed 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 or amend this act so as to prevent
or remove all material distractions to th9
navigationro of said river hy the construction
of said bridge is hereby expressly reserved, 1
and ali sHch alterations whenrequiTed by
law, shall be made at the expense CT 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 ap-
proved BY the Secretary OF War.
SEC. 5. That the Saint Joseph Bridge
BHilding Company, after the passage Of
this aetj shall not have the right to assign
the chatter winch said company now holds
bv assignment rom the Saint Joseph and
Denver CITY Railroad Company and winch
was granted to sad last named company by
virtue q I'D att b Congress, approved July
fDurteenth. eighteen hundFedtand seventy
to- any 8tiler company, person, or persons:
TOR 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
construct any other bridge than the one
now being constructed at Saint Joseph, Mis-
souri,.
Approved Mareh'5, 1872