Chapter 388. To authorize the construction of a bridge across the Back Bay, at Biloxi, Mississippi
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CHAP. 388.— An Act To authorize the construction of a bridge across the Back Bay, at Biloxi, Mississippi. May 10, 1900. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Biloxi, Miss., may bridge Back Bay, etc. That the mayor and board of aldermen of the town of Biloxi, in the State of Mississippi, be, and hereby are, authorized to construct and maintain a bridge and 173 approaches thereto across the bay, commonly known as the Back Bay, at or near the town of Biloxi, Mississippi, between the said town of Biloxi, situated on the south side of said bay, to a point on the north side of said bay, said bridge to start at or near what is known as the old ferry point, on the south shore of said bay, running thence north twenty-two degrees east to the south side of the channel or to the marsh; thence north nineteen degrees east to mainland, or said location to be selected consistent with the interests of navigation.
Said bridge Transit; toll. shall be built to provide for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, and animals, and for all road travel, for such reasonable rates of toll and under such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the said parties, or their successors and assigns, and to be approved from time to time by the Secretary of War. Sec. 2. That said bridge shall not be commenced or built until the Secretary of War to approve plans, etc. plans and specifications for its construction have been submitted to the Secretary of War for his approval, nor until he shall approve the plan and location of said bridge; and if any change be made in the plan or Changes. construction of said bridge at any time, such change shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War; and any change in the construction or any alteration of said bridge that may be directed at any time by Congress or the Secretary of War shall be made at the cost and expense of the owners thereof; that said bridge shall be constructed No obstruction to navigation. without interference with the security and convenience of navigation of said bay beyond what is necessary to carry out effectually the rights and privileges hereby granted, and in order to secure that object the said parties shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, a design of and drawings of said bridge and accessory works and a map of the proposed location, giving, for the space of three hundred yards above and below such proposed location, the topography of the banks, of the bay, with shore lines and soundings and directions of currents at medium high-tide water, and such other information as may be required for a full understanding of the subject.
Sec. 3. That said bridge shall be built as a low bridge, and shall Draw. have one drawspan of such width of openings as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War, which drawspan shall be maintained over the main channel of said bay at an accessible and navigable point, and the piers-of said bridge at said channel shall be parallel with, and the bridge itself at right angles to, the current of said channel. Said drawspan shall be opened promptly by said parties or their successors and assigns, upon reasonable signal, for the passage of boats and rafts: *Provided*, That the said parties, or their successors and assigns, shall, *Provisos*.
Maintenance of channel. at their own expense, under the direction and supervision of the Secretary of War, when so required, do and perform such necessary work to maintain the channel within the drawspan of said bridge, and shall, at their own expense, maintain a depth of water through said span not less than now existing, as shown by the records of the War Department: *And provided further*, That said parties, or their successors Lights. and assigns, shall maintain, at their own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge as the Light-House Board shall prescribe.
Sec. 4. That any bridge built under this Act and subject to its To be lawful structure and post route. 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 munitions of war of the United States than the rate per mile for the transportation over the public highways leading to the said bridge, and it shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other post roads in the United States.
Sec. 5. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal Amendment. Removal of obstructions, etc. this Act, and the Secretary of War, whenever he shall deem it necessary, 174 may cause the owners of said bridge to remove all material and substantial obstructions to the navigation of said bay by the construction of said bridge and its accessory works, or to prevent such obstructions; and the expense of altering said bridge and removing such obstructions shall be at the expense of the owners of the bridge.
Sec. 6. Commencement and completions. That this Act shall be null and void if construction of said bridge shall not be commenced within one year and completed within three years from its approval. Approved, May 10, 1900.