New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-07
pproved March l, 1872.
GENERAL NArURE-No. 1871

GENERAL NATURE-No. 1871
An act to authorize the construction of &
bridge across the Missouri river at or nea7
st. Joseph, Missouri.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o.
| Representatives of the United States o.
| America in Congress assembled, That Il
| shall be lawful for ''The st. joseph Bridge
Building Company" corporation organ
| lied tor that purpose under the general
| corporation laws of the State of Mis-
souri,, to construct bridge across the
Missouri river at or near Saint 10
| 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
Tor 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 NAV
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. = 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
drawbrldge the same shall be constructed
as a pivot drawbridge, with a 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 the clear on each side
OF the central or pivot pier OF the draw, and
the next adjoining spans to the draw shall
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
Tor the passage of boats whose construction
shall not be such as to admit of their pas
81
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 GIFTS 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 cOnfne the
low OF the water to a permanent channel,
and TO DO whatever may be necessary to ac-
complish said object, but shall not Impede
or Obstruct the navigation of the said river:
and all plans tor such works or cree
tons upon the banks of the river shall first
pc 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
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 anv Ftioation
arising from any obstruction, or alleged Oh |
structlon, to the free navigation of the Mis- |
'ouT1 river, at or near the crossing of said |
SAID bridge, and caused or alleged TO he |
caused thereby, the cause shall he COM |
nenced and tried in the district courts of |
either Judicial districts of Missouri or Kan. |
'as IN which the said bridge or any portion |
IL such obstruction touches; and the right
~ aIIer OF amend this act so as to prevent
u remove an material distractions to the |
navigation of said river by the Construction
II said bridge is hereby expressly reserved,
Snd all SUCH alterations, when required nv
aW, snail be made at the expense of said
bridge company; and the plan on which
'uch Drldge Is intended to be built and shall
De oulIt shall be first submitted to and APP
proved by the Secretary of War
peg: D. That the Saint Joseph Bridge
2u !g company, after the passage of
- - shall uOG nave the right 70 assign |
ne cnarter which said company now holds
y assignment from the Saint Joseph and
IenVer City Railroad Company, and which
vas granted to said last named company by |
lrtue OF an act of Congress, approved July !
OurIeenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, |
U 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-
Ouri