The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-04-04
General Natnra--N q

| AN ACT authorizing the construction O
l-bridges across the Mobile rive
and other navigable streams tributary
TO Mobile bay, in accordance with Tho
acts of the legislature of the State oi
Alabama, and to establish them as
post-roads.
Bet cnGcted bg The Senote Ond House oj
! R Irese7ltdtiueSofu uie United Sdies Of An.eI.
tcT in CdnGTrsS assembled, That the consent
| of Congress be, and the same is hereby,
given 10 the Mobile and Montgomery Rail
| rOnd Company to erect one or more draw
bridges over The Mobile river and other
navigable streamstributary to Mobile bay,
| in accordance with the acts of the legisIa-
ture of Alabama incorporating said COM
pany: Pr0rid, d, That the said draw-bridg-
eS shall be so constructed rs not TO inter-
| fere with the free or TO materially or sub
stantialiy obsiruet the free navigation of
said streams, beyond what is necessary in
order TO carry into effect the rights and
privileges hereby granted; and in case of
any litigation arising from any obstruc-
tion, or alleged obstruction, to the free
navigation Of said river, the cause mny be
tried before the district court of the Unit
ed States of the State of Alabama in which
any portion Of said obstruction or bridges
touches: And pr0rided alSo, That said
drnw-bridges shall be opened promptly,
upon reasonable signal, for the passage Of
boats, and in no case shall unnecessary de-
lay occurin opening the said draw during
or after the passage of trains.
SEC. 2. That any bridge constructed un-
der this act, and according to Its lmita-
tons, shall be O lawful structure, and shall
be known and recognized as o post-lonte,
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 trans
portation over the railroads orpublic high
ways leading to said bridges.
SEC. s. That all railway companies desir-
ing to use said bridges shall have and be
entitled to equal rights and privileges in
the passage of the same, and In the use OF
the machinery and fixtures thereof, ana
of all the approaches thereto, under and
upon such terms and conditions as shall
be prescribed by theSecreiary of War, upon
hearing the allegations and proofs of the
parties in case they shall not agree.
SEC. 4. That the right to alter or amend
this act SO as TO prevent or remove all ma
terial distinctions to the navigation Of
said riverb by the construction Of bridges Is
hereby expressly reserved; and that any
bridge or bridges constructed under this
act shall be built under and sub,ect tosuch
regulations for the security of the navisa-
tion of said river as the Secretary of War
shall prescribe and the said bridges shall
be, at all times, so kept and managed as to
otter reasonable and proper means for the
massage of vessels through and under
them. and The said bridges shall be chang
ep, at the cost and expense of the owners
thereof, from time to fine, as Congress
may direct, so as to preserve the free and
convenient navigation of said river; and
the authority to erect and continue said
bridges be subject 10 revocation by law
whenever the public good shall, in the
Judgment Of Congress, so require.
Approved, December "a, 1872.