Chapter 340. To authorize the construction of a bridge across Tallahatchie River, in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi
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CHAP. 340.— An Act To authorize the construction of a bridge across Tallahatchie River, in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. April 30, 1900. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Tallahatchie county, Miss., may bridge Tallahatchie River, etc. That the board of supervisors, of Tallahatchie County, in the State of Mississippi, be, and is hereby, authorized to construct and maintain a bridge and approaches thereto across the Tallahatchie River at or within one mile above or Transit, toll, etc. below Swan Lake, in the State of Mississippi.
Said bridge shall be constructed to provide for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, animals, foot passengers, and for all road travel, for such reasonable rates of toll and under such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by said board of supervisors and approved by the Secretary of War. Sec. 2. To be lawful structure and post route. That any bridge built under this Act and subject to its limitations shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post route, upon which no charge shall be made for the transmission over the same of the mails, the troops, and munitions of war of Telegraph, etc., companies. the United States; and equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies; and the United States shall have the right of way across said bridge and its approaches for postal-telegraph purposes.
Sec. 3. Draw, etc. That the said bridge shall be constructed as a wagon bridge, and shall contain a drawspan giving a clear opening of a width to be determined by the Secretary of War, which drawspan shall be maintained over the main channel of the river at an accessible and navigable point; and said bridge other than the drawspan shall be at right *Provisos*. —opening of. angles to the current of the river at high water: *Provided*, That the said draw shall be opened promptly, upon reasonable signal, for the Lights. passage of boats and rafts; and said board of supervisors shall maintain, at its own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other Obstructions to navigation. signals on said bridge as the Light-House Board shall prescribe.
No bridge shall be erected or maintained under the authority of this Act which shall at any time unreasonably obstruct the free navigation of —changes. said river; and if any bridge erected under such authority shall, in the opinion of the Secretary of War, unreasonably obstruct navigation, he is hereby authorized to cause the entire removal thereof or such changes or alterations of said bridge to be made as will obviate such obstruction; and all such alterations shall be made and all such obstructions shall be removed at the expense of the owner or owners —litigation. of said bridge; and in case of any litigation arising from any obstruction or alleged obstruction to the free navigation of said river, caused or alleged to be caused by said bridge, the case may be brought in the district court of the United States of the State of Mississippi, in whose 163 jurisdiction any portion of said obstruction or bridge may be located: *Provided further*, That nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to Existing law protecting navigation of rivers unchanged. repeal or modify any of the provisions of the law now existing in reference to the protection of the navigation of rivers, or to exempt this bridge from the operation of same.
Sec. 4. That any bridge authorized to be constructed under this Act Secretary of War to approve plans, etc. shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations for the security of navigation of the said river as the Secretary of War shall prescribe; and to secure that object the said board of supervisors shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, a design and drawing of the bridge, and a map of the location, giving, for the space of one-half mile above and one-half mile below the proposed location, the high and low water lines upon the banks of the river, the direction and strength of the currents at low and at high water, with the soundings accurately showing the bed of the stream, and the location of any other bridge or bridges, such maps to be sufficiently in detail to enable the Secretary of War to judge of the proper location of said bridge, and shall furnish such other information as shall be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until the said plan and location of the bridge are approved by the Secretary of War the bridge shall not be commenced or built; and should any change be made in the plans of said bridge during the progress of its construction, or after completion, such changes shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War.
Sec. 5. That this Act shall be null and void if actual construction of Commencement and completion. the bridge herein authorized be not commenced within one year and completed within three years from the date thereof: *Provided*, That *Proviso*. Amendment. Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act whenever the public interests so require. Approved, April 30, 1900.