New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-12
[GExERA1 NArURE-No. ISL

GENERAL NATURE-No. lS
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" a corporation organ
lied Tor 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 tile 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 OF 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 draw bridge, with a
pivot or other form of draw, or with unbrO-
ken or continuous spans; provided, that II
the same shall be made Of unbr0ken eontinU-
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 tie 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 q
draw bridge 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 epans of
lsnOt 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-wateT
mark, measuring to the bottom chord Ofthe
| bridge, and the piers of said bridge shall be
parallel with the current Of the river, and
provided alse, that said draw. shall he
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 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 a distance Of seven miles, and
erect and maintain breakW8ters or use such
| other means as may be necessary to make
channel for said river, and conhne the
! flow Of the water to a permanent channel,
| and TO do whatever may be. necessary to ac-
| complish said object, but shall not impede
| or ubstruct 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.
SEC. g. That any bridge built under this
| act, and according to its limitations, shall
/ De q laWIul stiuCbuTbf anu eIctll DC IbCOS-
| niZed and known as a pOStronte, 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 obstruction, or alleged OBJ
] fN frlaa n
souri, FLYER, at or near the crossing OF said
said bridge, and caused OF alleged to be
/ caused thereby, the cause shall be com
4 menced and tired in the district courts OF
Eeither judicial districts of Missouri or Kan
sas in which the said bridge, or any portion
i Of such obstruction touches and the right
to alter or amend this act SO as to prevent
or remove all material distractions to the
| navigation of said liver by the construction
Of said bridge is hereby expressly reserved,
and all sHeh 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 ap-
I proved by the Secretary Of War.
/ SEC ;. That the saint Joseph Bridge
! Building Company, after the passage u
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 Railrosd Company, and which
4 was granted to said last named Company by
virtue Of an act Of Congress, approved July
\ fourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy.
1 to any other company, person, or persons;
por 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, "a
I construct any other bridge than the one
now being constructed at Saint Joseph, Mis-
| souri,.
! Approved March 5, 1872.