Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 27.djvu/301

274 FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 265. 1892. Jn1y 27, 1392, CHAP. 265.-—An act to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Savan· -—-———————-—— nah River. ` Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United mums Georgia me States of America in Congress assembled, That the assent of the United éjffpff m§;’,};{d‘;,{ States of America is hereby given to the Middle Georgia. and Atlantic savanna nmr m Railway Company, a corporation incorporated by the laws of the State g§f,;‘,;‘f"°“ I”'““‘1* of Georgia, its successors and assigns, and such other persons as may be associated with it, to construct and maintain a bridge over the Savannah River irom the mainland to Hutchinson Island, in the county of Chatham. cowmceon. Sec. 2. That the bridge shall be so con tructed, by draw-span or otherwise, that a free and unobstructed passage may be secured to all sammy of Www vessels and other water craft navigating said river. That any bridge "”"°"° P “"’· °"" constructed under this act shall be built and located under and subject to such regulations for the security of navigation of said river as the Secretary of War shall prescribe; and to secure that object the said company shall submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, the design and drawings of the bridge, piers, and approaches, and a map of the location, giving, for the space of at least one mile above and one mile below the proposed location, the topography of the banks of the river, the shore lines at high water and at low water, and the direction and strength of the currents at all stages, and the soundings, accurately showing the bed of the stream, and the location of other bridge or bridges, wharves, landings, or ferries, and shall furnish such other information as shall be required for a full and satisfactory understanding of the subject; and until said plan and location of the bridge are approved by the Secretary of War the bridge shall not be commenced or built, and after such approval by the Secretary of War the approved plans and designs for the bridge shall not be deviated irom or added to either during the construction or after the completion of the bridge until the proposed change shall have been submitted to the Secretary of War and receivedhis approval; and the said bridge shall be at all times so kept and managed as to oder reasonable and proper means forthe passage of vessels through or opens; um:. under said bridge, and if said bridge be built with a draw said draw shall be opened promptly upon reasonable signal for the passage of boats or other craft, and the said company or corporation sh all maintain, Lignzsm. at its own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge as the Li ght-House Board shall prescribe; and if at any rnoimmma nm- time the navigation of said river shall in any manner be obstructed or Sm""- impaired by the bridge authorized by this act to be constructed, the Secretary of War shall have authority, and it shall be his duty, to re quire said company to alter and change said bridge, at its own expense, in such manner as may be proper to secure free and complete navigation without impediment; and if upon reasonable notice to said company, its successors or assigns, to make such change or improvements, the said company tails to do so, the Secretary of War shall have authority to make the same, and shall thereupon institute proceedings Litigation. in the circuit court of the United States in and for the district in which any part of said bridge may be located for the recovery of the cost rr..m». thereof : Provided, also, That nothing in this act shall be so construed E,,,,,,,g k,,,,, ,,0, as to repeal or modity any of the provisions of law now existing in reti ¤f¥~·¤~<l· ’ erence to the protection of the navigation of rivers, or to exempt this bridge from the operations of the same. mwmi structure Sec. 3. That any bridge built under this act and subject to its limiwl r·*·—>*·¤¤·*•*- tations shall be a lawful structure and shall be recognized and known as a postroute, 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, or passengers or freight over said bridge than the rate per mile paid for the transportation over the railroads or public highways leading to said bridge, and it shall enjoy the rights and privileges of other post roads of the United States. And equal