Chapter 69. to authorize the construction of bridges over the rivers Saint Mary’s, Satilla, Little Satilla, and Crooked, in the States of Georgia and Florida
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CHAP. 69.— An Act to authorize the construction of bridges over the rivers Saint Mary’s, Satilla, Little Satilla, and Crooked, in the States of Georgia and Florida.April 9, 1888. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Jacksonville and East Tennessee Railroad Company may bridge St. Mary’s River, Ga. and Fla. That the Jacksonville and East Tennessee Railroad Company be, and are hereby, authorized to construct a bridge over the river Saint Mary’s, in the county of Camden and State of Georgia, and in the county of Nassau and State of Florida, at the point where said railroads cross said river.
Sec. 2. That the Jacksonville and East Tennessee Railroad CompanySatilla River. Ga. be and is hereby, authorized to construct a bridge over the river Satilla, in the county of Camden, in the State of Georgia, at the point where said railroad crosses said river. Sec. 3. That said bridges shall be so constructed, either by draw,Free navigation. span, or otherwise, so that a free and unobstructed passage may be secured to all vessels and other watercraft navigating said rivers. Sec. 4.
That the said Jacksonville and East Tennessee Railroad CompanyAuthorized to bridge Little Satilla and Crooked Rivers. Ga. be, and is hereby, authorized to construct fixed bridges over the Little Satilla River, between the counties of Camden and Glynn, and over Crooked River, in the county of Camden, in said State of Georgia, at the points selected by said company where said railroad crosses said rivers, with one span, and to make said bridges of such height as they *Proviso*.Passage of rafts, etc. may see fit: *Provided*, That the height be sufficient to permit the passage of timber rafts and other vessels navigating said rivers under said bridges.
Sec 5. That any bridge built under this act and subject to itsTo be lawful structures and post-routes. 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, or passengers or freight passing over said bridge, than the rate per mile paid for the transportation over the railroad or public highways leading to the said bridge; and it shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other post-roads in the United States: and equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall be granted to all telegraph companies, and the United States shall have the right of way across said bridge and its approaches for said postal-telegraph purposes.
Sec. 6. That if any of the said bridges authorized to be constructedDraw. by this act shall lie constructed as a drawbridge, the draw shall be opened promptly upon reasonable signal for the passage of boats and said company or corporation shall maintain, at its own expense from sunset till sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge or bridges as the Lights.Light-House Board shall prescribe. No bridge shall be erected or maintained under the authority of this act which to Free navigation to be maintained.shall at any time substantially or materially obstruct the free navigation of said river; and if any bridge erected under such authority shall, in the opinion of the Secretary of War, obstruct such navigation, he is hereby authorized to cause such change or alteration of said bridge to be made as will effectually obviate such obstruction and all such obstructions shall be removed and alterations made at the expense of the *Proviso*.Existing laws.owner or owners of said bridge: *Provided*, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to repeal or modify any of the provisions of law now existing in reference to the protection of the navigation of rivers, or to exempt this bridge erected under this act from the operation of the same.
Sec. 7. That all railroad companies desiring the use of said bridgeOther companies may use. shall have and lie entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains or cars over the same, and over the approaches thereto, upon 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 upon the sum or sums to be paid, and upon rules an FIFTIETH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Chs. 69, 70. 1888.83 conditions to which each shall conform in using said bridge, all mattersCompensation to be decided by Secretary of War. at issue between them shall be decided by the Secretary of War, upon a hearing of the allegations and proofs of the parties. Sec. 8. That any bridge authorized to be constructed under thisSecretary of War to approve plans, etc. act shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations for the security of navigation of said river as the Secretary of War shall prescribe; and to secure that object said company or corporation shall submit to the Secretary of War a design and drawings of said bridge to be erected, for his examination and approval, and a map of its location, and shall furnish such other information as may be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject, and in all things shall be subject to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War: and until said plan and location of said bridge or bridges are approved by the Secretary of War said bridge or bridges shall not be built; and should any change be made in the plan of any bridge authorized to be constructed by this act, during the progress of the work of construction, such change shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War.
Sec. 9. That this act shall be null and void if actual Commencement and completion. of the bridge therein authorized be not commenced within one year and completed within three years from the date thereof. Sec. 10. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this act isAmendment, etc. hereby expressly reserved; and the right to require any changes in said structures, or their entire removal, at the expense of the owners thereof, whenever the Secretary of War shall decide that the public interest requires it. is also expressly reserved.
Approved, April 9, 1888.