The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-10-31
LAWS
p Ta OF THE f
UNITED STATES
PASSED AT THE
SECOND SESSION OF THE FORTY SECOND

SECOND SESSION OF THE FORTY -sFcoNn
CONGRESS.
GENERAL NATURE-No. e9.l
AN ACT to authorize the construction of certain
bridges across the Mississippi river and to estab-
llsh the same as post-roads.
BE Il enacted By the Senate and House Of Repre-
gress assembled That it shall be lawful for the Wes
tern limos 8ridge Company, corporation existing
nn9er the laws OF the State of Missouri to build
bridge across the Msssspprver at the city OF Quincy
Illinois, for the purpose of crossing persons and prop
erty, such as usually crossed on wagon-brdges;
and also lay and said bridge railway-traeks
for the perfect connection of any railroads that
shall be constructed to the said river at Or
posite said point, and that. when constructed, all
persons and property aforesaid and also all trains
of all roads terminating ut said river at opposite
reasonable compensation, to be made to the owners
of said bridge, under the limitations and conditions
hereinafter provided and in of any litigation
alleged obstruction to the free navigation of said river
the may be tried before the district court of the
United States OF any State in which any portion of
said obstruction or bridge touches; and that all rail
way companies desiring to use the said bridge shall
have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges in
the passage OF the same and in the use of the ma
chinery and fixtures thereof and of all the approach
es thereto under and upon such terms and conditions
as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War; upon
case they shall not agree.
SEC 2. That said bridge may at the option of the
company building the same, be built either as piv-
OF draw-bridge, or with unbroken or Continuous
spans: Procided, That if the said bridge shall! be
made with unbroken continuous spans it shall not
be OF less elevation in any case than fifty feet above
ton, to the bottom chord of tRe BRIDGE shall the
spans of said bridge be less than two hundred and
hy Ieet IN length and the piers Of said bridge shall
be parallel with the current of the river, and the
main span shall be the main channel of the riv
er and not less than three hundred feet in length
And pro0ided also, That if said bridge shall be
structed as pivot drawbridge, the same shall be
constructed with draw the main channel of the
river at an accessible and navigable point and with
hundred sir in
ength, in the clear, on each side of the central or
pivot pier of the draws and the next adjoining spans
to the draw shall not be less than two hundred and
fifty feet If the proper location of the draw over the
channel will admit spans of this width between it
and the shore, and said spans shall not be less than
thirty feet above lowwater mark, and 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 procided also, That said draw shall be
opened promptly, upon reasonable signal, for the
such as to admit of their passage under the perma-
nent spans of said bridge, except when trains are
passing over the same; but in shall
after the passage of trains.
SEC. 3. That any bridge constructed under this
structure. and shall be recognized and known as a
pOst-route, upon which, also, higher charge shall
be made for the transmission over the of the
mails the troops, and munitions of war of the United
States than the rate per mile paid for their
portation over the railroads or public highways lead
ing said bridge and the United States shall hays
said bridge "0-o''
SEC. A.. That said company may execute mort
gage upon said bridge, and issue bonds payable
principal and interest," in gold United States cur
rency
SEC. 5. That the right to alter or amend this act
so as to prevent or remove all material distractions
to the navigation of said river by the construction of
said bridge, is hereby expressly reserved; and the
said bridge shall be built under and subject to such
regulations for the security of the navigation Of said
liver as the Secretary of War shall prescribe: and
the said bridge shall be- at all times kept and man
aged to offer reasonable and for
passage of vessels.
SEC. 6. That the plan and specifications. with the
necessary drawings of said BRIDGE shall be submitted
10 the secretary OF War, for his approval and until
he approve the plan and location of said bridge it
shall not be built or commenced; and should any
change be made in the plan of said bridge during the
progress ofthe work thereon such change shall be sub
ect TO the approval OF the Secretary of War; and all
changes in the construction any alteration of said
bridge that may be directed at any time by Congress
shall be made at the cost and expense of the owners
| thereof.
SEC. Z. That the Warsaw and Alexandria Bridge
Company their successors and assigns, corporation
existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State
OF Missouri, be, and is hereby, authorized to con-
struct and maintain bridge over the Mississippi
county, and State of Illinois, and the city of Alex
andria, in Clark county, and State of Missouri and
the bridge authorized to be built by this section is
hereby declared to be post-route and shall have all
the privileges and be subject to all the terms re-
strict1ons and requirements contained in the fore
going sections of this act: ProUided, That the con-
struction of the bridge mentioned in this section
shall be commenced within eighteen months from the
passage of this act.
j. G. BLAINE,
Speaker of the House of Representatiyes
SCHUYLER COLFAX
pice- President Of the United States and President
of the Senate,
Approved, Nav IT, 1872