192 FIFIY-SEVENTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 781. 1902. Ul! 7· im CHAP. 781.-An Act To authorize the construction of a bridge across the Chat-
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House 0_fRepresentati·ves0ftke United m$;;‘,§:*:‘n‘Q,°:,}_°° States 0y`Anzer·£ea in Congress assembled, That the Columbus, Eufaula . couimbiu, aunuu and Gu f Railroad Company, a corporation duly created and existing §$,,,*‘{',‘}1f,,.,,j.*$‘,l.‘;${l under the laws of the State of Georgia, is hereby authorized to buil '·°°•**°¤· and maintain a railroad bridge across the Chattahoochee River, at such point as may be selected b r the said company and approved by the Secretary of War, between Columbus, Georgia, and Eufaula. Alabama, or in the city of Columbus, Georgia, the said bridlge to be so oonstructedas not to interefere with the navigation of said river. .p*},°,,Q‘§Q:,”,‘,j’f_1§;f” Sec. 2. That any bridge constructed under this Act shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations for the security of the navigation of said river as the Secretary of War shall prescribe; and to secure that object the said company shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, a design and drawing of the proposed bridge and a map of the location, giving, for the space o at least one-half mile above and one-half mile below the lproposed location, the topography of the banks of the river, the s ore ines at high and low water, and the direction and strength of the current, and the soundin s accurately showing the bed of the stream, and shall furnish such otber information as may be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until said plan and location of the bridge are approved bly the Secretary of War the bridge 01=•¤s¤· shall not be built; and should any c ange be made in the plan of said ‘ bridge during] the progress of construction or after its completion such chang}; all be su ject to the approval of the Secretary o War. ,,‘;,"§,",,g',‘Q§"‘°*"'°'*"" Sec. 3. t the bridge construe under this Act shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post route, upon which no higher charge shall be made for the transportation over the same of the mails, the troops, and the munitions of war of the United States than the rate per mile paid for transportation of said mails, troops, and munitions over the railroads and public high- ,,g`h*§_°¥"¥"‘· °’°·· ways leading to said bridge. Equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall be granted to a l telegraph and telephone companies, and the nited States shall have the right of way for tl posta telegraph across mid bridge; and said structure shall be so kept and managed at all times as to a ord reasonable and proper means for the passage of vessels throu h or under said bridge, and for the safety of vessels passing at niéit there shall be displayed on said brid e, from sunset Liam, ece. to sunrise, at the expense of the owners thereof, such lights and other signals as may be prescribed by the Light-House Board; and the said bridge shall be changed or altered at the cost and expense of the owners thereof from time to time, as the Secretary of War may direct, so as to dpreserve the free and convenient navigation of said river: S""":"- th mms Provide , That all railroad companies desiring the use of said brid e ”° Y ° " ‘ shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railroad trains or cars over the same and over the approaches °°“‘P°““‘“°¤· thereto upon the payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case the owner or owners of said bridge and the several railroad companies, or any one of them. desiring such use shall fail to agree uplon the sum or sums to be paid and upon the rules and conditions to w ich each shall conform in using said bridge, all matters at issue between them shall be decided by the Secretary of War upon a hearing of the allegations and proofs of the parties. ,,§,§f""’ °' °°“”"“°‘ ac. 4. That this Act shall be null an void if actual construction of the bridge herein authorized be not commenced within one year and completed within three years from the approval of this Act.
