New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-15
Approved March l, 1872.
GENERAL NArURE-No. Is. |

GENERAL NATURE-No. 1871
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 1.-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 a bridge across the
| Missouri river at or near Saint Jo-
| seph, Missouri, and to Law 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
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. OF 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 a pivot drawbridge, with 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
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-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 pXcpnf WhnD tpaine
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 distance of seven miles, and |
erect and maintain breakwaters or use such |
other means as may be necessary to make |
a channel Tor said river, and confine the |
now OF the water to a permanent channel |
ana 60 do whatever may be necessary to ac- |
eompIlsh said object, but shall not impede |
or Obstruct the navigation of the said river; |
and all plans for such works or erec- |
lions 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 |
be lawful structure, and shall be recog-
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. 4. That in case of any litigation
arising from any obstruction or alleged OBJ
struetion, 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
menced 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 Instructions 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 ap-
proved by the Secretary of War.
SEC. 5. That the Saint Joseph Bridge
Building Company, after the passage of
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 Railroad Company, and which !
was granted to said last named company by
virtue Of an act of Congress, approved July
eighteen hundred and seventy, |
TO any other company, person, or persons;
1Or shall said bridge building company be
permitted under the said charter so OBJ
famed as aforesaid from the Saint Joseph
and Denver City Railroad Company, to
construct any other bridge than the one | 1
low being constructed at Saint Joseph, Mis-
JOuri.
ADDroved March 3 1872