Chapter 943. To authorize the Southern Indiana Railway Company to construct a railroad bridge across the Wabash River in Vigo County, Indiana
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CHAP. 943.— An Act To authorize the Southern Indiana Railway Company to construct a railroad bridge across the Wabash River in Vigo County, Indiana. April 7, 1904. [[H. R. 13480](/us/bill/58/hr/13480).] [[Public, No. 89](/us/pl/58/89).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Wabash River. Southern Indiana Railway Company may bridge, in Vigo County, Ind. That it shall be lawful for the Southern Indiana Railway Company, a corporation created and existing by virtue of the laws of the State of Indiana, its successors or assigns, to build a bridge across the Wabash River at a point selected by the said railway company near the confluence of said river and Coal Creek, and near the section line dividing sections twenty-eight and thirty-three, township thirteen north, range nine west, in Vigo County, Indiana, and to lay on or over said bridge railway tracks for the connection of the railway tracks it may hereafter build to the point to be selected for crossing the said river.
Sec. 2. Lawful structure and post route. That any bridge authorized to be constructed under this Act shall be a lawful structure, and shall be recognized and known as a post route, and it shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other post-roads in the United States, upon which also no higher charge shall be made for the transmission over the same of the mails, the troops, and the munitions of war of the United States, or for through passengers or freight passing over said bridge, than the rate per mile for their transportation Telegraph, etc., rights. over the railroads leading to the said bridge; and the United States shall have the right of way across said bridge for postal, telegraph, and telephone purposes, and equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies.
Said bridge shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations Secretary of War to approve plans, etc. for the security of navigation of said river as the Secretary of War shall prescribe; and to secure that object the said railway company shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, a design and drawings of the bridge, and a map of the location, giving, for the space of one mile above and one mile below the proposed location, the topography of the banks of the river, the shore lines at high and low water, the direction and strength of the currents at all stages, and the soundings, accurately showing the bed of the stream, the location of any other bridge or bridges, and shall furnish such other information as may 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 Changes. be commenced or built; and should any change be made in the plan of said bridge during the progress of construction or after completion, such change shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War; and the said company shall, at its own expense, make from time to time such changes in said bridge as the Secretary of War may order *Proviso*.
Opening draw. in the interest of navigation: *Provided*, That if said bridge be built as a drawbridge the draw shall be promptly opened upon reasonable Lights, etc. signal for the passage of boats, and whatever kind of bridge is built, the said company shall maintain thereon, at its own expense, from 163 sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals as the Light-House Board may prescribe. Sec. 3. That all railroad companies desiring the use of said bridge Use by other roads. shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains over the same and the approaches thereto upon payment of a reasonable compensation for such use, or, in case of disagreement, upon such terms and conditions as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War upon hearing the allegations and proofs of the parties in interest.
Sec. 4. That this Act shall be null and void unless the bridge herein Time of construction. authorized shall be commenced within two years and completed within four years from the date hereof. Sec. 5. That the right to amend, alter, or repeal this Act is hereby Amendment. expressly reserved. Approved, April 7, 1904.