Chapter CXCV. *authorizing the Construction of a Bridge across the Arkansas River at Little Rock, Arkansas*
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CHAP. CXCV.— An Act *authorizing the Construction of a Bridge across the Arkansas River at Little Rock, Arkansas*. July 1, 1870. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Bridge across the Arkansas river, near Little Rock, authorized. That it shall be lawful for the Citizens’ Bridge Company, a corporation having authority from the State of Arkansas, to build a railroad, transit, and wagon bridge across the Arkansas river at or near the city of Little Rock, in Arkansas; and that, when constructed, all trains of all roads terminating at the Arkansas river,All trains of all roads, &c. to be allowed to pass over. at or near the location of said bridge, shall be allowed to cross said bridge for a reasonable compensation to be paid to the owners thereof; and in case of any litigation arising from any obstruction or alleged obstruction to the free navigation of said river, the cause may be tried before the district court of the United States of any State in which any portion of said obstruction or bridge touches.
Sec. 2. *And be it farther enacted*, That any bridge built under the provisionsQuestion of obstruction to river may be tried in federal courts.Bridge, how may be built.Elevation if built with unbroken spans.Length of spans.Piers.Main span.If built as a drawbridge, to be constructed as a pivot drawbridge. of this act may, at the option of the company building the same, be built as a drawbridge, with a pivot or other form of a draw, or with unbroken and continuous spans : *Provided*, That if the said bridge shall be made with unbroken and continuous spans, it shall not be in any case of less elevation than fifty feet above extreme high-water mark, as understood at the point of location, to the bottom chord of the bridge.
Nor shall the spans be of less than two hundred and fifty feet in length in the clear; and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel with the current of said river; and the main span shall be over the main channel of the river at low water : *And provided also*, That if any bridge built under this act shall be constructed as a drawbridge, the same shall be constructed as a pivot drawbridge, with a draw over the main channel of the river at an accessible and navigable point, and with spans of not less than one hundred and sixty feet in length in the clear, on each side of the central or pivot pier of the draw.
And the next adjoining spans to the draw shallSpans. not be less than two hundred and fifty feet; and said spans shall not be less than twenty feet above high-water mark, measuring to the bottom chord of the bridge; and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel with the current of the river: *And provided also*, That said draw shall beDraw to be opened promptly. opened promptly upon reasonable signal, for the passage of boats whose construction shall not be such as to admit of their passage under the permanent spans of said bridge, except when trains are passing over the same; but in no case shall unnecessary delay occur in opening the said draw during or after the passage of trains.
Sec. 3. *And be it farther enacted*, That any bridge constructed underBridge to be a lawful structure and post-road.Charges to the United States. this act and according to its limitations shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as 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, than the rate per mile paid for their transportation over the railroads or the public highways leading to the said bridge : *And provided also*, That said corporationCorporation may execute mortgage. may execute a mortgage and issue bonds payable, principal and interest, in gold or United States currency.
Sec. 4. *And be it further enacted*, That the United States shall have theRight of way for postal telegraph. right of way for postal telegraph purposes across said bridge. Sec. 5. *And be it further enacted*, That the bridge company aforesaid,Plans of bridge to be submitted to Secretary of War.Bridge not to be commenced until, &c.Changes of plans. shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his approval, a plan with the necessary drawings of their bridge, conforming to the above requirements; and until the Secretary of War approve the plan and location of said bridge, and notify the company of the same in writing, the bridge shall not be built or commenced ; and should any change be made in the plan of the bridge during the progress of the work thereon, such change shall be subject likewise to the approval of the Secretary of War. 186 FORTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 195, 196, 197. 1870. Sec. 6. Act may be altered.*And be it further enacted*, That Congress shall have power at any time to alter, amend, or repea this act. Approved, July 1, 1870.