New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-26

I
this act to be removed therefrom, and gen
| orally shall be authorized to take all such
| measures as shall be necessary or proper to
fully carry out the objects and purposes of
| this act.
Approved March l, 1872.
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 "The st. Joseph Bridge
Building Company" a 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
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 NAV
also charge and receive reasonable conlpen-
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 hundred feet
in length; and provided also, that if a
bridge shall be built under this act as a
draw bridge the same shall be constructed |
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 |
IN obo ~
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, 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 incOrpati0n, enter
upon the banks of said river. either above
)r below the point of the location of said
bridge, for a distance of seven miles, and
erect and maintain breakwaters or use such
)ther means as may be necessary to make
: channel for said river, and cOnfne the
low of the water to a permanent channel,
Ind TO do whatever may be necessary to ac-
,ompish said object, but shall not impede
)r obstruct the navigation of the said river;
ind all plans for such works or cree
ions upon the banks of the river shall first
De submitted to the Secretary Of War for
us approval.
SEC, 3. That any bridge built under this
let, and according to its limitations, shall
De a lawful structure, and shall be recOg-
lized and known as a post-route, upon
which, also, no higher charge shall be made
or the transmission over the same of the
nails, the troops and the munitions of war
# the United States than the rate per mile
)aid for their transportation over the rail-
'oads or public highways leading to the
aid bridge
SEC. A. That in case Of any litigation
Lrlsing from any obstruction, OF alleged OBJ
truction, to the free navigation of the Mis-
Ouri river, at or near the crossing of said
aid bridge, and caused or alleged to be
aused thereby, the cause shall be COM
nenced and tried in the district courts of
ither judicial districts of Missouri or Kan
as in which the said bridge, or any portion
# such obstruction touches; and the right
o alter or amend this act so as to prevent
II remove all material distractions to the
navigation of said river by the construction
f said bridge is hereby expressly reserved,
nd all such alterations, when required by |
aw, shall be made at the expense of said
ridge company; and the plan on which
UGH bridge IS intended to be built; and shall
e built, shall be first submitted to and ap-
roved by the Secretary of War.
SEC. ,. That the Saint Joseph Bridge |
Building Company, after the passage of
his act, shall not have the right to assign
be charter which said company now holds
y assignment from the Saint Joseph and
Denver City Railroad Company, and which
-as. granted TO said last named COMPANY by
lrtue Of an act of Congress, approved July ,
)urteeuth, eighteen hundred and seventy,
any other company, person, or persons;
or shall said bridge building company D6
ermltted, 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-
Juri.
Approved March ), 1872.
TCz-,rr-u n a Trpu, ,