Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-21
OFFICIAL.
LAWS OF TIE UNITED STATES,
Passed at the Second Session of the
Forty-Second Congress.


GENERAL NATURE-No. Isl
AN ACT to authorize the construction Of bridge
across the Missouri river at or near ST. Joseph,
Missouri.
he IL enacted Jy the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentdtirss Of the United States Of 4nssricd Con-
ere,s assembled. That IL shall be lawful for "The
st. Joseph Bridge Building Company" corpo-
ration organized for that purpose under the
general corporation 1awsofthe State Of Missouri,
TO construct q bridge across the Missouri river
at or near Saint Joseph, Missouri, and to lay on
and over said bridge railway tracks for the more
perfect connection of any and all railways hat
are now, or which may hereafter be, constr uc,ed
to the Missouri river at or near Saint Joseph or
to the river on he opposite site of the same near
over said bridge rays for wagons vehicles of All
kinds, and for the transit of animals and to pro-
vide ways for foot passengers, and to keep up,
MAINTAIN, and operate said bridge for the pur-
poses aforesaid; and that when said bridge is
constructed, all trains of ali railroads terminal
ing al SAID rlyeT and on the opposite side there
OF, AZ or near Saint Joseph, Missouri shall be
allowed to cross said bridge for reasonable COM
pensation, 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 compensation or
tolls tor the transit over the said bridge OF all
wagons, carriages, vehicles. animals, and foot
passengers.
SEc. .. That any bridge built under the pro-
visions of this act may, at the option of person
or persons, or corporation building the same,
be built az a drawbridge, with pivot or other
form of draw, or with unbrOken OF continuous
spans: PTorided, Thatif the same shall be made
OF unbroken continuous spans, it shall not be
OF less elevation in any case than nifty feet above
extreme high water mark, as understood at the
point of location, to the bottom chord of the
bridge, 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 pro-
yided also, That If bridge shall be built under
this act as dr3wbridge, the same shall be con-
structed as pivot drawbridge, with draw over
the main channel of the river at an accessible
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 OF 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 lowwater 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 preceded 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 passage 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 provided further,
That the corporation building said bridge may,
ii not unauthorized by the provisions of its char
ter OF Incorporation, enter upon the banks of
said river, either above or below the point OF
the location of said bridge, for a distance of
waters or use such other means as may be ne
cessary to make a channel for said river and
CoDtne the flow of the water to a permanent
channel, and to do whatever nav be necessary
to accomplish said object, but shall not impede
or Obstruct the navigation of the said river: and
all plans Tor such works or erections upon the
banks OF the river shall trst be submitted to the
Secretary of War for his approval.
SEC. 3. That any bridge buiit under this act,
and according to its limitations, SD all be a law
fui structure, and shall berecognized and known
: a NH oh. all IL,
charge shall be made for the transmission over
the same of the mails. the troops and the mu-
nltiOns OF war OF the United States than the rate
Per mile paid for their transportation over the
railroads or public highways leading to the said
bridge.
SIC. l. That in case of any litigation asising
from any obstruction, or alleged obstruction,
to the free navigation of the Missouri river at or
Eear the crossing OF said bridge, and caused or
alleged to be caused thereby, the cause shall
be commenced and tried in the district courts
OF either judicial districts of Missouri or Kansas
in which the said bridge or any portion of such
obstruction touches and the right to alter or
amend this act so a. TO prevent or remove all
mater ial distractions to the navigation of said
river by the construction of said bridge is hereby
expressly reserved, and all such 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 approved by the Secretary of War.
SEC. .. That the Saint Joseph Bridge Build
/ ing COmpanGa after the passage OF this act
shall not h3tS3fhe right to assign the charter
which saicsahPany now holds by assignment,
from the Saint Joseph aAd Denver City Rail
! road Company. and which was granted to said
/ st-nsmed company by virtue of an act OF Con-
! gress, approved July fourteenth, eighteen hun
/ dred and seventy, te any other company, per-
! son, or persons; nor shall said bridge building
company he permitted, under the said charter
/ 20 obtained as aforesaid, from the Saint Joseph
and Denver City Railroad Company, TO con
! struct any other bridge than the one now b ,inp
constructed at Saint Joseph, Missouri.
| Approved, March 3, 1872