160 FOBTY-NINTH CONGRESS. Suss. I. C11. 802. 1886. . HAP. 8 2.-Au act to authorize the Bellin ham Ba Railwa and Navigation
Cogxpany toqauild certain bridges in the Territorg of Washington. y
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Bellingham my States of America in Oongresa assembled, That the Bellingham Bay Ra11· Railway and Navi- way and Navigation Company, a corporation duly organized under the ¢°*i°“ . C°m£“!;§ laws of Washington Territory, its successors or assigns, be, and is hereby,
- fé‘°"’°v‘%,£:h:Qg_ authorized to construct, maintain, and operate bridges, and approaches
mn ’l:‘:i·it¤rv. thereto, over the Nooksack River, in the county of Whatcom, the Skagit Ncoksaclgkiver- River, in the county of Skagit, and the Stillaguamish and Snohomish Skegil Rl"'-. h Rivers, in the county of Snohomish, at the points where the said com-· m22Q1I °q“°"S pany’s lines of railways, as now projected, cross said rivers respectively; Snohomish River. said bridges shall be constructed to provide for the passage of railway trains, and, at the option of said company by which the same or either Wagon and me of the same shall be built, may be used for the passage of wagons and b¤‘idz¢¤- vehicles of all kinds, for the transit of animals, and for foot-passengers, Tous_ for reasonable rates of toll to be fixed by said company; but such rates shall be reasonable rates, and the Secretary of War shall have the right from time to time to revise, prescribe, and tix the same. Said company Right to cross shall also have the right to cross either Lake Union or Salmon Buy L¤k¤ U¤i¤¤ ¤rS¤i~ (sometimes called Shilshole Buy), or the waters between, or the canal “‘°” BW- built or to be built between said Lake Union and said bay. Said works Draw. to contain a draw of such width as shall accommodate the commerce passing through said waters, and to be built upon plans to be approved by the Secretary of War, as provided in. section two of this act, and snbjectto be changed, enlarged, and altered from time to time as the Secretary of War or Congress shall from time to time direct, and as the ' exigencies of commerce may require. Plans subject to Sec. 2. That the plan and location of any bridge the construction apvmvai ¤f Seen- of which is hereby authorized shall be subject to the approval of the
- 7 Mw"- Secretary of War; and each of the same shall be so located as not materially to obstruct or impair the free navigation of such rivers respectively or said canal, and shall be built with piers parallel to the
current, leaving the waterway unobstructed by riprap, or piling, or other obstructions, and shall have at the crossing of each of the main channels of said rivers or said canal (unless the same shall be built gum above the head of navigation) a draw of the width to be fixed by the Secretary of War, which shall be located at the points best calculated to accommodate commerce, to be determined by the Secretary of War; which draws shall at all times be opened promptly for passing vessels, . upon reasonable signal, except when railway trains are passing over the _ same; and at all times during the season of navigation proper signal- I·¤sh*¤- lights shall be used und maintained, at the expense of the aforesaid company, its successors and assigns, to guide vessels approaching said PMvi·v· _ draws: Provided, That the construction of neither of said bridges shall Cq¤g¤¢f¤¤¤ M; be commenced until the plan location, and width of draw thereof has ‘ Q;,':,: Ipgffiff " been approved by the Secretary of War, and the said company has ` been notified in writing of the same. ` To be lawful Sec. 3. That any bridge built under this act shall be a lawful structure, ¤¤¤<=¢¤r¢ ¤¤<i P¤¤¢- 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 the munitions of war of the United States than the rate per mile paid for the transportation over the railroad or public highways leading to such bridge; and it shall enjoy the rights privileges of other post-routes in the United States. And the said Changer. structures shall be changed, at the cost and expense of the owners thereof, or persons controlling or operating the same, from time to time as Congress may direct, so as to preserve the free and convenient naviz gation of said rivers and bays; and the authority to erect and continue any and all said. bridges shall be subject to revocation b_y law whenever the public good shall, in the judgment of Congress, so require; and all such structures shall, upon such revocation, be removed, at the expense of the owners thereof, or the persons controlling and operating the same.
