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Code · STATUTES-AT-LARGE · Vol. 28 STAT. · February 25, 1895 · Chapter 129

Chapter 129. To authorize the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River in the county of Dakota, in the State of Nebraska, and in the city of Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury, in the State of Iowa

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CHAP. 129.— An Act To authorize the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River in the county of Dakota, in the State of Nebraska, and in the city of Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury, in the State of Iowa.February 25, 1895. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Iowa and Nebraska Pontoon Bridge company may bridge Missouri River, Sioux City, Iowa. That the Iowa and Nebraska Pontoon Bridge Company, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Iowa, its successors and assigns, be, and they are hereby, authorized to construct a wagon bridge across the Missouri River between the State of Nebraska and the State of Iowa, within*Ante*, p.45. the county of Dakota, in the State of Nebraska, and the city of Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury, in the State of Iowa, and to build, erect, and lay on and over said bridge ways for wagons, vehicles of all kinds, and for the transit of animals; to provide ways for foot passengers, and to lay on and over said bridge tracks, upon which may be operated street railways; and to maintain and operate said bridge for the purposes aforesaid, and for all other uses and purposes incident to the use of a wagon bridge not specially enumerated; and to charge, collect, and receive reasonable compensation and tolls for the transit over saidTolls, etc. bridge of all wagons, carriages, vehicles of all kinds, persons, foot passengers and animals, street railways, and for all other uses of said bridge not specially enumerated: *Provided*, That the Secretary of War*Provisos*.Rules, etc. may at any time prescribe such rules, regulations, and rates of toll for transit and transportation over said bridge as may be deemed proper and reasonable: *Provided also*, That all street railway companies desiringUse by street railways. the use of said bridge shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of cars over the same and over the approaches thereto, upon payment of reasonable compensation for such use, and in case of any disagreement between the parties regarding the compensation to be paid or the conditions to be observed, the matters at issue shall be decided by the Secretary of War upon proper hearing.
Sec. 2. That said bridge shall be constructed as a pivot drawbridge,Draw. with two or more draws, as the Secretary of War may prescribe, which said draws shall span the main channels of the river and shall not be less than two hundred feet in the clear on each side of the central or pivot piers of the draws; and all other spans over the river shall notSpans. be less than two hundred and fifty feet in the clear, measured at low water; and said spans shall not be less than ten feet above high-water mark, measuring to the lowest part of the superstructure of the bridge; and the piers of said bridge shall be parallel with the current of the river at high water.
Sec. 3. That no bridge shall be erected or maintained under theSecretary of War to approve plans, etc. authority of this Act which shall at any time substantially and materially obstruct the free navigation of said river; and that no bridge shall be commenced or built under this Act until the location thereof and the plans and specifications for its construction shall have been submitted to and approved by the Secretary of War; and any changeChanges. in the plans of such construction or any alteration in the bridge after its construction shall be subject to the like approval; and that the Secretary of War is hereby authorized, whenever in his opinion the said bridge shall substantially obstruct the free navigation of said river, to cause such change or alteration of said bridge to be made as will obviate such obstruction; and all such alterations shall be made at the expense of the owner or owners of said bridge or the person operating or controlling same; and the said bridge shall be constructed with such aids to the passage of said bridge in the form of booms, dikes, piers,Aids to navigation. or other suitable and proper protections for confining the flow of water to a permanent and easily navigated channel for the guiding of rafts, steamboats, and other water craft safely through the draw as the Secretary of War shall prescribe and order to be constructed and maintained, at the expense of the company owning said bridge; and the 682FIFTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
Sess. III. Chs. 129, 130. 1895. said bridge shall be at all times so kept and managed as to offer reasonable and proper means for the passing of vessels through said Opening draw.structure; that said draw shall be opened promptly to its full width upon reasonable signal, without unnecessary delay, for the passage of vessels, steamboats, and other water craft requiring the opening of said draw for their safe passage; and the owners of said bridge shall maintain, at their own expense, from the hours of sunset to sunrise, such Lights, etc.lights or other signals on said bridge as shall be prescribed by the Light-House Board.
Sec. 4. That said corporation, or its successors, may, in conformityProtective works. with plans approved by the Secretary of War, construct and maintain defensive and corrective works in or along said river, above or below said bridge, for the protection of the same and the approaches thereto, or for the improvement, correction, or control of the channel of said river. Sec. 5. That any bridge built under this Act and according to itsLawful structure and post route. limitations 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 munitions of war of the United States than the rate per mile paid for their transportation over the public highways leading to such bridge.
The United States shall also have the right to construct, without charge therefor, telegraph and telephone lines across and upon said bridge. Sec. 6. That Congress may at any time alter, amend, or repeal thisAmendment, etc. Act. Sec. 7. This Act shall take effect in one year after its approval, andCommencement and completion. shall be null and void if actual construction of the bridge be not commenced within one year and completed within three years from the date it takes effect.
Approved, February 25, 1895. Chapter 130: To amend the charter of the Metropolitan Railroad Company of the District of Columbia. Chapter 130 28 Stat. 682 1895-02-26 United States Government Publishing Office text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Digitization Vendor 2026-02-15 53 3 public
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  • 28 Stat. 682
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Chapter 129
To authorize the construction of a bridge across the Missouri River in the county of Dakota, in the State of Nebraska, and in the city of Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury, in the State of Iowa
Stat.28 Stat. 682
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