Chapter 512. To provide for the construction of a bridge across Rainy River in Minnesota

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CHAP. 512.— An Act To provide for the construction of a bridge across Rainy River in Minnesota. February 7, 1903.[[Public, No. 63](/us/pl/57/63).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Rainy River, Minn.International Bridge and Terminal Company may bridge.Location.That the International Bridge and Terminal Company, a corporation duly organized under the laws of the State of Minnesota, its successors and assigns, be, and the same hereby is, authorized and empowered to construct and maintain a bridge over the Rainy River at the head of the falls in the river, in section twenty-seven, in township seventy-one north, of range twenty-four west, of the fourth *Proviso.*Secretary of War to approve plan, etc.principal eridian, in the county of Itasca and State of Minnesota: *Provided*, That the plan, location, and elevation of the bridge shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War, and until approved by him the bridge shall not be commenced or built.

Sec. 2. That any bridge built under this Act andLawful structure and post route. subject to its 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 transportation 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 railroads or public highways leading to the said bridge, and it shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other post-roads in the United*Proviso.*Use by other roads.

States: *Provided*, That all railroad companies desiring the use of said bridge shall be entitled to equal rights and privileges in the passage of railroad trains over the same, and the approaches thereto, uponCompensation. the payment of a reasonable compensation therefor, and in case the owner or owners of said bridge and the several railroad companies, of any one of them, desiring such use shall fail to agree upon the sum or sums to be paid, and upon the rules and conditions to which each shall conform in the use of said bridge, all matters at issue between them shall be decided by the Secretary of War upon a Telegraph, etc,, rights.hearing of the allegations and proofs of the parties, 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 and telephone purposes.

Sec. 3. That if the Secretary of War shall findConstruction without a draw. and determine that said bridge as actually located is situate at a point where said Rainy River is not actually navigable for boats, then the Secretary of War shall permit the construction of such bridge without a*Proviso.*Reconstruction of bridge to aid navigation. draw: *Provided, however,* That in that case if the river at the point of the location of such bridge shall in the future be rendered navigable for boats by the construction of a canal and lock, or otherwise, then the International Bridge and Terminal Company, its successors and assigns, shall reconstruct said bridge at its own expense with a draw, whenever directed so to do by the Secretary of War, upon plans and in accordance with specifications to be submitted for that purpose and to be first approved by the Secretary of War; and if in such case the International Bridge and Terminal Company, its successors and assigns, shall fail to proceed at once upon receiving such directions from the Secretary of War to reconstruct said bridge and to complete such reconstruction in accordance with such plans and specifications with all reasonable diligence, then it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to remove suchRemoval of bridge. bridge. 802 Sec. 4.

Protection to navigation.That any bridge constructed under the authority of this Act, including any reconstruction thereof as provided for in the last section, shall be built and located and operated under and subject to such regulations for the security of the navigation of said river as the Secretary of War shall from time to time prescribe; and to secure that object the International Bridge and Terminal Company, its successors and assigns, shall submit to and tile with the Secretary of War all designs, drawings, and maps of location of the bridge, and furnish such other Map.information as may be required for a full and complete understanding of the subject; and the company, its successors and assigns, shall cause to be displayed on said bridge, from the Lights, etc.hours of sunset to sunrise and at other times, such lights and other signals as may be prescribed by the Light-House Board.

Sec. 5. Opening drawThat in case the Secretary of War shall direct that said bridge shall be constructed with a draw or draws such draw or draws shall be opened promptly upon reasonable signal for the passage of boats, vessels, or other water craft; and at the time of the erection of the piers, or whenever in the opinion of the Secretary of War the same may be necessary, the persons or corporations constructing, owning, or Booms, etc.operating said bridge shall, at their own expense, construct proper sheer booms or other proper structures to safely guide bouts, vessels, or other water craft through the said spans.

Sec. 6. Time of construction.That if the actual construction of the bridge hereby authorized shall not be commenced within two years from the date of the approval of this Act, and completed within five years after the same date, then this Act shall be void, and all rights herebv conferred shall cease and be determined; and that the construction shall not be commenced until the government of the Dominion of Canada Construction within Canadian jurisdiction.has authorized the construction and maintenance of that part of said bridge which shall occupy that portion of the river which is under the jurisdiction of said Dominion government.

Sec. 7. Amendment.That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, February 7, 1903.