Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 60 Part 1.djvu/775

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PUBLIC LAWS-CH. 713-JULY 31, 1946 [CHAPTER 713] July 31, 1946 [H. R. 6751] [Public Law 676] Toll bridge across Rio Grande. Construction and operation. 34 Stat. 84 . 33U.8.C.§§491- 498. Approval. Agreement between U. S . and Mexico. Right to acquire land, etc. Tolls. 34 Stat. 84 . 33U.S.C. § 491-498. Right to assign, etc. Authorizing Gus A. Guerra, his heirs, legal representatives, and assigns, to con- struct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande, at or near Rio Grande City, Texas. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to facilitate international commerce, improve the postal service, and provide for military and other purposes, Gus A. Guerra, his heirs, legal representatives and assigns, be, and is hereby, authorized to construct, maintain, and operate a toll bridge and originally designed approaches thereto across the Rio Grande, so far as the United States has jurisdiction over the waters of such river, at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at or near Rio Grande City, Texas, in accordance with the provisions of the Act entitled "An Act to regulate the construction of bridges over navigable waters", approved March 23, 1906, subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this Act, and subject further to the approval of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, and also subject to the approval of the proper authorities in the Republic of Mexico to the construction, operation, and maintenance of such bridge: Pro- vided, That the construction of the bridge herein authorized shall not be undertaken until after an agreement regarding such construction shall have been effected between the Government of the United States and the Government of the United Mexican States. SEC. 2. There is hereby conferred upon Gus A. Guerra, his heirs, legal representatives and assigns, all such rights and powers to enter upon lands and to acquire, occupy, possess, and use real estate and other property in the State of Texas needed for the location, construction, operation, and maintenance of such bridge and its originally designed approaches, as are possessed by railroad corporations for railroad purposes or by bridge corporations for bridge purposes, upon making Just compensation therefor to be ascertained and paid according to the laws of such State of Texas. SEC. 3 . The said Gus A. Guerra, his heirs, legal representatives and assigns, is hereby authorized to fix and charge tolls for transit over such bridge in accordance with any laws of the State of Texas applicable thereto and the rates of toll so fixed shall be the legal rates until (hanged by the Secretary of War under the authority contained in the Act of March 23, 1906. SEC. 4 . The right to sell, assign, transfer, and mortgage all the rights, powers, and privileges conferred by this Act to any public agency, or to an international bridge authority or commission, is hereby granted to Gus A. Guerra, his heirs, or legal representatives; and any such public agency, international bridge authority, or international bridge commission to which such rights, powers, and privileges may be sold, assigned, or transferred, or which shall acquire the same by mortgage foreclosure or otherwise, is hereby authorized and empowered to exercise the same as fully as though conferred herein directly upon such public agency, inter- national bridge authority, or international bridge commission. SEC. 5. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved. Approved July 31, 1946. 748 [60 STAT. AN ACT