Chapter 101. To authorise the New York and New
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CHAP. 101.— An Act To authorise the New York and New .Jersey Bridge companies to construct and maintain a bridge across the Hudson River between New York City and the State of New Jersey.June 7, 1894. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,New York and New Jersey Bridge Companies may bridge Hudson River, New York City. That the New York and New Jersey Bridge Companies, heretofore incorporated by the States of New York and New .Jersey, and existing under the laws of said States, are hereby authorized to construct, operate, maintain, and rebuild, in case of destruction, a bridge across the Hudson River between New York City, in the county and State of New York, and the State of New Jersey, subject to the laws of said States, respectively, upon the following terms, limitations, and conditions:
First. That the location of said bridge shall be subject to approvalLocation. by the Secretary of War, upon such examinations, hearings, and reports as he shall hereafter prescribe: *Provided*, That it shall not be*Proviso*.Limit. located below Fifty-ninth street. New York City, nor above Sixty-ninth street, New York City. Second. That the said companies may locate, construct, and maintainRailroad tracks. over such bridge and the approaches thereto railroad tracks for the use of railroads: *Provided*, That any railroad on either side of said*Provisos*.Connections with approaches. river shall be permitted to connect its tracks with the said bridge approaches, and shall have equal rights of transit for its rolling stock, cars, passengers, and freight, upon equal and equitable terms, and if a dispute as to the equality or equity of the terms shall arise it shall be submitted to and decided by the Secretary of War: *Provided*, ThatApproval by local authorities.Approaches. the location of all approaches of said bridge in the city of New York shall be approved by the commissioners of the sinking fund of the city of New York: *And provided further*, That no railroad or railroads shallOperation of railroad. be operated on the approaches of said bridge companies in the city of New York, except on such approaches as shall have been approved by the sinking-fund commissioners of the city of New York: *Provided, also*, That the term approaches as used in this Act shall be construedDefinition of “approaches.” to include only such portion of the roadbed and superstructure, on either side of said bridge, as is necessary to reach the grade of the bridge from the grade of the streets at which said approaches begin to rise, in order to bring the two elevations together upon and by a grade of not less than twenty feet to the mile.
Third. That any bridge built under the authority of this Act shallConstruction. be constructed with such length of span and at such elevation its the Secretary of War shall approve and require: *Provided, however*, That*Proviso*.Minimum height. it shall afford, under any conditions of load or temperature, a minimum clear headway above high water of spring tides of not less than one hundred and fifty feet at the center of the span; and all the plans andSecretary of War to approve plans, etc. specifications, with the necessary drawings of said bridge, shall be submitted to the Secretary of War for his approval, and before such approval the construction shall not be begun; and should any change be made in said plans during progress of construction, such changed plans shall be submitted to said Secretary and approved by him before 90 made; and the President shall appoint a board, consisting of live Engineer commission to report on span, etc.competent. disinterested, expert bridge engineers, of whom one shall be either the Chief of Engineers or any member of the Corps of Engineers of the United States Army, and the others from civil lite, who shall, within thirty days after their appointment, meet together and, after examination of the question, shall, within sixty days after their first Minimum lengthmeeting, recommend what length of span, not less than two thousand feet, would be safe and practicable for a railroad bridge to be constructed over said river, and file such recommendation with the Secretary of War, but it shall not be final or conclusive until it has received his written approval.
In case any vacancy shall occur in said board, Compensationthe President shall fill the. same. The compensation and expenses of said board of engineers shall be fixed by the Secretary of War and paid by the said bridge companies, which said companies shall deposit with the Secretary of War such sum of money as he may designate and Time of filing report.require for such purpose: *Provided, always*, That nothing herein contained shall be construed as preventing the said board of engineers from meeting, investigating, and filing their recommendation after the expiration of said time herein mentioned.
Fourth. The companies operating under this law shall maintain onLights, etc. the bridge, at their own expense, from sunset, to sunrise, such lights and signals as the United States Light-House Board may prescribe. Fifth. The said company or companies availing themselves of theToll. privileges of this Act shall not charge a higher rate of toll than authorized by the laws of the State of New York or New Jersey, and the mails and troops of the United States shall be transported free of charge over said bridge.
Sixth. That said company or companies shall be subject to the interstate-commerceSubject to Inter-state-commerce law. law, and to all amendments thereof, and when such Lawful structure and post route.bridge is constructed under the provisions of this Act it shall be a lawful military and post road and a lawful structure. Seventh. That the said company or companies availing themselvesAcceptance, plans, etc., to be filed with Secretary of War. of the privileges of this Act shall file an acceptance of its terms with the Secretary of War, and shall submit to the Secretary of War, within one year after the passage of this Act, for examination and approval, drawings showing plan and location of the bridge and its approaches;
Commencement and completion.and the construction of said bridge shall be commenced within one year after said location and plans have been approved of, as herein provided; and said company or companies shall expend, within the first year after construction has commenced, as herein required, not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in money, and in Yearly expenditure.each year thereafter not less than one million of dollars in money in the actual construction work of said bridge, which shall be reporter to the Secretary of War; and the said bridge shall be completed within ten years from the commencement of the construction of the same, as herein required; and, unless the actual construction of said bridge shall be commenced, proceeded with, and completed within the time and according to the provisions herein provided, this Act shall be null and void.
The right to amend, alter, modify, or repeal this Act is herebyAmendment, etc. reserved. Approved, June 7, 1894.