504 Fom·Y.N1NrH ooncimss. sees. 11. ca. ass. iss:. Mar. 3, .18*7. CHAP. 358.-An act to authorize the Talladega and Coosa Valley Railroad Com- ——— pany of Alabama to erect u. bridge across the Coosa River. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the_ United Tal1¤d<=::u a u d States of America in Congress assembled, That the Talladega and Coosa C"°“‘*,V“u"P'Rf“l‘ Valley Railroad Company of Alabama, a corporation created and cx-
isting under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Alabama, be, and
crmsa River, Ala. is hereby, authorized to erect and maintain a bridge across the Coosa. ' Location. Bi ver in township seventeen, range four east, in the Goose. land-district, or at such point near said township as has been selected by said railroad company for crossing said river with their railroad line, the said bridge to be of such height as not to interfere with the navigation of Promo. said river: Provided, That any bridge constructed under this acl: and To be a lawful according to its limitations shall be a lawful structure, and shall be ¤°¤'°*¤'° and P°S*· known and recognized as a post-route, and the same is hereby declared '°°°°‘ to be a post·route, 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, or for through passengers or freight passing over said bridge, than the rate per mile paid for their transportation over the railroads leading to the said bridge; and the United P<>¤¤¤N>¤l€sf¤Pb· States shall have the right of way for a postal telegraph and telephone Litigation. lines across said bridge; and in case of any litigation concerning any alleged obstruction to the free navigation of said river on account of said bridge, the cause may be tried before the circuit court of the United States of either of said States in which any portion of said obstruction Other companies or bridge touches; and that all railway companies desiring to use the ¤¤¤>‘ ¤¤•>- . said bridge shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges in the passage over the same, and in tbeuse of the machinery and iixtures Compensation. thereof and of all the approaches thereto, for a reasonable compensaiion to be paid to the owners of said bridge, under and upon such terms Secretary etwar and conditions as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War upon
- 0 d*=°**l°*‘*=*¤S'°°‘ hearing the allegations and proofs of the parties in case they shall not
’"°'"“‘ agree. . _ Draw. S1:0. 2. That said bridge shall be constructed asa pivot draw-bridge, with a draw over the main channel of the river at an accessible and . navigable point, and with pans of not less than seventy-five feet in length in the clear on each side of the central or pivot pier of the draw; and said spans shall not be less than ten ieet above high-water mark, p,-.,,-5,,.,, measuring to the lowest member of the bridge superstructure: Andpro· Opening thaw. ·v·idcd also, That said draw shall be opened promptly, upon reasonable signal except when trains are passing over the said bridge, for the pasage of the boats whose construction shall not be such as to admit of their passage under the draw of said bridge when closed; but in no case shall unnecessary delay occur in opening the said draw after the passage of trains; and the said company or corporation shall maintain, at L,gh,,_ its own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge as the Light-House Board shall prescribe. Secretary erwin- Sec. 3. That the plan and location of said bridge, with a detailed ’¤· =¤PP¤>*¤ PMN, map of the river at the proposed site of the bridge and near thereto, °“'· exhibiting the depths and currents, shall be submitted to the Secretary of War for his approval, and until he approve the plan and location of Changes. said bridge it shall not be built; but upon the approval of said plan bv the Secretary of War the said company or corporation may proceed to the erection of said bridge in contormity with said approved plan; and should any change be made in the plan of said bridge during the progress of the work thereon, such change shall be subject likewise to the approval of the Secretary of War. Right to mend, Szc. 4. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal ctc.,res¤rved. this act at any time; and that if at any time navigation of the said river Not to obstruct shall in any manner be obstryoted or impaired by the said bridge, the ¤¤vig¤ii¤¤- Secretary of War shall have authority, and it shall be his duty, to re. quire the said railroad com pany to alle-r and change the said bridge, at its own expense, in such manner as may be proper to secure free und.
