New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-06-21
[GENERAL NATURE-No. 1871
An act to authorize the construction of
bridge across the Missouri river at or nea
st. Joseph. Missouri.

GENERAL NATURE-No. 1877
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 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
i 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 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, 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
drawbridge the same shall be constructed
as pivot drawbridge, with draw over
the main channel of the river at an aceessi-
BILE 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 nXpGnT WhPO trains aTav no |
the same, but in no case shall unnecessary
delay occur in opening the said draw during
or after the passage of trains: And pro-
yided 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 breakwaters or use such
other means as may be necessary to make |
3 channel for said river, and cOnfne the
how OF the water to a permanent channel !
and TO do whatever may be necessary to ac-
comphsh said object, but shall not impede
or 0bstruct 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. 3. That any bridge built under this
act, and according to its limitations, shall
be lawful structure, and shall be recog-
nlzed and known as a post-route, upon
which, also, no higher charge shall be made
Tor the transmission over the same of the |
mails, the troops, and the munitions of war
d 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 any obstruction, or alleged OBJ
frFTa 70 A. l
8ourl river, at or near the crossing of said |
said bridge, and caused or alleged to be |
caused thereby, the cause shall be com
neneed and tried in the district courts of
either judicial districts of Missouri or Kan
Ias in which the said bridge, or any portion
IT such obstruction touches; and the right ,
70 alter or amend this act so as to prevent
II remove all material distractions to the ..
navigation of said river by the construction
II said bridge is hereby expressly reserved,
md all sBch alterations, when required by
aw, shall be made at the expense of said
bridge company; and the plan on which
ueh bridge is intended to be built; and shall
)e built, shall be first submitted to and ap- 4
proved by the Secretary of War.
SEC 5. That the Saint Joseph Bridge
Building Company, after the passage Of
his act, shall not have the right to assign
he charter which said company now holds 7
y assignment from the Saint Joseph and 4
Denver City Railroad Company, and which Z
vas granted to said last named company by y
1rtue Of an act of Congress, approved July =
Ourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, =
any other company, person, or persons; =
or shall said bridge building company be
ermitted, 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 A
ow being constructed at Saint Joseph, Mis-
Juri.
Approved March 5, 1872.