Year: 1873




AS matter of interest to our readers,
we publish below the act of Congress au-
thorzing the bridging of the st. Louis by
the Northern Pacific Railway Company:
AN Acr to authorize the Northern Pacific Railroad


Company to construct and maintain a bridge across
i the Saint Louis river.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tlves of the United States of America in Congress
/ assembled:


| That the Northern Pacific Railroad Company is
hereby authorized to construct and maintain draw
bridge across the Saint Louis river, between Rees
point, IN the State of Minnesota and Connor's point
in the State of Wisconsin; that the said bridge shall
be less than feet above the level of the
of said river the point where its construction is
Ehereis at torzea; that said bridge shall have pivot
draw giving two clear openings of hundred ieet
each measured right angles to the current at the
average stage of water in the river and located in
part of the bridge that be safely and conveniently
reached that stage; and the next adjoining spans
to the draw shall not be less than hundred and
fifty feet if the proper location of the draw the
channel will admit spans of this width between and
the shore and said span shall not be less than ten
feet above highwater mark measuring to the
bottom chord of the bridge; that said draw shall be
opened promptly, upon reasonable signal, for the pas
sage of boats whose construction shall not be such as
to admit of their passage under the stationary spans of
said bridge, except when trains passing over the
same but in shall unnecessary delay occur in
opening the said draw before after the passage OF
trains.


Sec 3 That the piers of the said bridge shall be
built parallel with the that stage of the
river which is most important for navigation; and
that rpraps other outside protection for imper
feet foundation will be permitted IN the channelway
of the draw openings.


/ Sec g. That the said Northern Pacific Railroad
Company shall submit to the Secretary of War, for
his examination, design and drawings of the bridge
and piers and map of the location giving, for the
I aofat 10 how md mill
the proposed location the topography of the banks OF
the river the shore-nes at high and low water the
direction of the current at all AGES and the sound
ngs accurately showing the bed Ct the stream, the To-
cation of any other bridge bridges and shall furnish
such other information may be required for full
aud satisfactory understanding of the subject by the
Secretary of War and if the Secretary of War is sat
isiet that the provisions of the law have been COM
/ piled with in regard TO location, the building OF the
piers may be at commenced; but if it shall ap
pear that the conditions prescribed by this act cannot
be complied with the location where it is desired TO
construct the bridge, the Secretary OF ar SHALL after
considering any remonstrances filed against the build
ing of said bridge aud furnishing copies of such re-
monsrances to the board of engineers provided for in
this act detail board composed of three experienced
officers of the corps of engineers examine the
and, their recommendation, authorize such modlh-
cations in the requirements of this act to location
and piers as will permit the construction of the bridge
1 not however diminishing the width of the spans
tempTated by this act Progdea That the free naviga
ton of the river be not materially injured thereby


Sec 4. That all parties owning occupying, or oper
ating the said bridge shall maintain at their own ex
pense, from sunset sunrise throughout the year,
such lights their bridges may be required by the
Lighthouse board for the security of navigaton and
all persons owning occupying, or operating the said
bridge SHALL in any event, maintain all lights their
bridge that may be necessary for the security OF nav
CATION.


Sec 5. That any bridge constructed under this act,
and according to its limitations shall be a lawful
lcha hn izaH and tnA
post-route, upon which, also, 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 the
TRANSFORMATION over the railroads public highways
leading said bridge and the United States shall
have the right Of way for postal telegraph purposes
such bridge and in case of any litigation arls
ing from any obstruction alleged obstruction to the
navigation of said river, created by the construction
of said bridge under this act. the or question
arising may be tried before the district court of the
United States of any State in which any portion of
said obstruction bridge touches.


i Sec 6. That all,raIway companies desiring to use
the said bridge shall have and be entitled equal
rights and privileges in the passage of the same, and
in the use of the machinery and fixtures thereof and
! of all the approaches thereto, under and upon such
terms and conditions shall be prescribed by the
Secretary of War, upon hearing the allegations and
proofs of the parties in they shall not agree.


See 7. That the right alter amend this act,
to prevent remove all material distractions to
the CATION of said river by the construction OF the
said bridge is hereby expressly reserved, without any
liability of the government for damages account of
the alteration amendment of this act account
of the prevention requiring the removal OF any such
obstructions and any change be made in the plan
of construction of any bridge constructed under this
act during the progress of the work thereon before
the completion of said bridge such change shall be
subject the approval of the Secretary of War; and
any change in the construction, any alteration of
said bridge that may be directed at any time by Con
gress shall be made at the cost and expense Of the
owners thereof.


! Approved, February 81, 1878