Chapter CCCXXIX. to authorize the Little Rock, Pine Rluff and Arkadelphia Southwestern Railroad Company to construct a Bridge over the Ouachita River at or near Arkadelphia, ArkansasMarch 3, 1873. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* ThatLi
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CHAP. CCCXXIX.— An Act to authorize the Little Rock, Pine Rluff and Arkadelphia Southwestern Railroad Company to construct a Bridge over the Ouachita River at or near Arkadelphia, ArkansasMarch 3, 1873. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* ThatLittle Rock, &c., Railroad Co., may construct a bridge over the Ouachita river, in Arkansas. the Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Arkadelphia Southwestern Railroad Company, a corporation organized under the general incorporation laws of the State of Arkansas, be, and is hereby, authorized to construct a bridge over the Ouachita river at or near Arkadelphia in the State Arkansas for the purpose of terminating the Little Rock, Pine Bluff and Arkadelphia, Southwestern Railroad at Arkadelphia, in said State, and for the purpose of connecting said railroad with any other railroad which may run from said place: *Provided,*Purposes of the bridge That said company may construct said bridge for the accommodation of foot passengers, animals, and vehicles of all kinds over said river, and shall keep up, operate, and maintain said bridge.
Sec. 2. ThatBridge may be a draw-bridge, or with continuous spans;if with continuous spans; said company may build said bridge as a draw-bridge, with a pivot or other form of draw, or with unbroken or continuous spans: *Provided,* That if the same shall be made of unbroken or continuous spans it shall not be of less elevation in any case than fifty feet above high-water mark, as understood at the point of location, to the bottom chord of the bridge, nor shall the spans of said bridge be less than oue hundred and fifty feet in length, and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel with the current of the river, and the main span shall be over the main channel of the river, and not less than one hundred and eighty feet in length.if as a draw-bridge. *And provided also,* That if said bridge shall be built as a draw-bridge, the same shall be constructed as a pivot draw-bridge 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 on either side of the pivot-pier; and said spans shall not be less than thirty feet above low-water mark, and not lees than ten feet above above extreme high-water mark, measuring to the bottom chord of the bridge; and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel to the current of the river,Draw to be opened promptly. *And provided also,* That said draw shall be opened promptly upon reasonable notice or signal, for the passage of boats, and in no case shall unnneceasary delay occur in opening the said draw during or after the passage of trains.
Sec. 3. ThatBridge to be a lawful structure and a post-route.Charges. said bridge, when constructed under this act, shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post-route, and no higher charge shall be made for the transmission over the same of the mails, troops, and munitions of war of the United States than the rate per mile paid for their transportation over the railroads of public highways leading to said bridge. Sec. 4. ThatAll railway companies may use the bridge upon, &c.Secretary of War to prescribe regulations for building, &c., the bridge. all railway companies desiring to use the said bridge shall have and be entitled to 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 as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War, upon hearing the allegations and proofs of the parties in case they shall not agree.
Sec. 5. ThatStructure may be changed the structure herein authorized shall be built under and subject to such regulations for the security of the navigation of said river and lake as the Secretary of War shall prescribe, and the said structure shall be, at all times, so kept and managed as to offer reasonable and proper means for the passage of vessels through and under said structure; and the said structure shall be changed at the cost and expense of the owners thereof, from time to time, as Congress may direct, so as to preserve the free and convenient navigation of said river; and the authority to erect and continue said bridge shall be subject to revocation by law whenever the public good shall, in the judgment of Congress, so require, FORTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
Sess. III. Ch. 330–332. 1873.631 Sec. 6. ThatThis act may be altered, &c. the right to alter or amend this act and to prevent or remove all material obstructions to the navigation of said river by the construction of said bridge, is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, March 3, 1873.