Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-08-26

NlNGI 10 OdDIlIS NlNNI ohu
Schooner Bayou Lock, La.
Regulations to Govern the Opening of
the Draws of Bridges Crossing Certain
Navigable waters in the State of Louis
lana.
THE LAW.
Section of the act OF Congress OF
August IS, 1894, provides as follows:
That it shall be the duty of all per-
sons owning, operating, and tending the
drawbridges now built, or which may
hereafter be built across the navigable
rivers and other waters of the United
| States, to open, or cause to be opened,
the draws of such bridges under such
rules and regulations as, i'll the opinion
of the Secretary of War, the pu lie in
terests require to govern the opening OF
drawbridges for the possage of vessels
and other water craft and such rules ard
! regulations. when so made and publish
ed. shall have the force of law. Every
such person who shall willtully fail or
refuse to open, or cause TO &c opened,
the draw of any such bridge for the pas
sage of boats, or who shall unreasona-
bly, delay the opening of said draw after
reasonable signal shall have been given,
as provided in such regulations, shall e
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and
on conviction thereof shall be punished
bv a fine of not more than two thousand
dollars, or by Imprisonment Tin the case
of natural person. for not exceeding
one wear, or by both such fine and inn
prisoment. in the discretion of the court:
Provided, That the proper action to
enforce the provisions of this section
NAV be commenced before any commits
sioner. Judge, or court of the United
States, and such commissioner. Judge
or court shall proceed in respect thereto
as authorized by law in case of crimes
against the United States: Provided
further. That whenever, i'll the opinion
of the Secretary of War, the public in
terests require it, he may make rules
and regulations to govern the opening
of draw ridges for the passage of YES
sells and other water crafts, and such
rules and regulations, when SO made
and published, shall have the force OF
law. and any violation thereof shall be
punished as hereinbefore provided.
THE REGULATIONS.
In pursuance of the authority con.
ferred BY the law, the following regula-
lions ale prescribed &c govern the open
ing of drawbridges across navigable
rivers and other waterways of the State
of Louisiana:
|. The persons or corporations owning
or controlling the aforesaid drawbridges
shall provide the same with proper me.
chanical appliances for opening the draw
span <or draw spans) for the passage o.
vessels; and shall also provide such ten,
ders as may ~ necessary for the safe
prompt, and efficient operation of said
draw spans.
2. Whenever a vessel approaches q
1irawbridge desiring to be passed through
the draw, the person in charge of vessel
shall signal such desire y four blasts Of
whistle or horn; or Ill case the vessel
is going against the wind, where a
whistle or horn might not tie heard, the
signal shall be the lowering of a pen.
nant four successive times. Upon hear
ing or perceiving such signal, the tender
or operator of the drawbridge shall i'm
mediately open the draw span for the
passage of said vessel.
5. In case of accident to the machine
t nv, or other contingency necessitating
delay in opening the draw the signal
from the vessel desiring to pass through
shall be answered by the tender or ope.
rator of the fridge by one long blast OF
whistle or horn.
d. The draw span of bridge need not
be opened when there is a train, wagon,
or other vehicle actually passing over
said draw span, or train is approach
Ing so closely that it can not be safely
stopped before reaching the bridge; but
wagons, trains, and vehicles shall not
be stopped on drawbridge for the pur-
pose of delaying the opening of the