56 FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS. Stmss. I. Cns. 124, 125. 1892. commencement and Sec. 6. That this act shall be null and void if actual construction of °°‘“P’°"°“· the bridge herein authorized be not commenced within two years, and completed within four years from the date hereotl Approved, June 22, 1892. Jun, 22 1mg_ CHAP. 125.-An act authorizing the Continental Bridge Company to construct -——-%——~ a bridge across the Rio Grande River at or near Brownsvil e. Texas. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United Continental image States of Amerika in Congress assembled, That the Continental Bridge f,g;¤g;g1{,,;¤$,{,°{,*£ Company, by and with the consent of the Government of Mexico, IS at Brownsville, rs:. hereby authorized and empowered to erect, construct, maintain, and operate a bridge over the Rio Grande del Norte from or near Brownsville, in the State of Texas, to or near the city of Matamoras, in Mexico.Said bridge shall be constructed to provide for the passage of mnny,¤¢e.,1¤·mge. railway trains and street railways and for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, for the transit of animals, and for foot passengers, 1-0H_ for such reasonable rates of toll as may be approved from time to time by the Secretary of War. Lawful m-umm Sec. 2. That any bridge built under this act and subject to its limita-
- 1*** P°¤* ¤>¤*·°- tions 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 of the United States. Bmw_ Sec. 3. That said bridge shall be constructed with a draw of suincient capacity to afford tree passage to such vessels and boats as navi- P,.,,,;,,,_,_ gate said river: Provided, That said bridge shall be opened promptly 0,,,,,,,,g d,.,, upon reasonable signal for the passage of boats and other water craft, except when trains are passing over the draw; but in no case shall unnecessary delay occur in opening the draw after the passage of trains, or at any other time; and the said Continental Bridge Company shaH ughg, cm maintain, at its own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge as the United States LightrHouse Board shall prescribe. And no bridge shall be erected and maintained under the authority of this act which shall at any time substantially or materially obstruct the free navigation of said river; and if any bridge erected under such authority shall, in the opinion of the Secretary of cnmges. War, obstruct such navigation, he is hereby authorized to cause such change or alteration of such bridge to be made as will effectually obviate such obstruction; and all such alterations shall be made and aH such obstructions be removed at the expense of the owner of said bridge. And in case of any obstruction or alleged obstruction to the navigation of said river, caused or alleged to be caused by said bridge, magnum. any action arising thereon may be brought in the circuit court of the United States in which any portion of said obstruction or bridge may be located: Provided further, That nothing in this act shall be so con- General nm not strued as to repeal or modify any of the provisions of law now existing '¤°'“**°“- in reference to the protection of the navigation of rivers, or to exempt this bridge from the operation of the same. swam of warm Sec. 4. That any bridge authorized to be constructed under this “¥’P'°"" ¥’“"‘“· *‘°· act shall be located and built 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 corporation shall, at least three months previous to the commencement of the construction of said bridge, submit to the Secretary of War, for his examination and approval, a design and drawing of the bridge, and a map of the location, giving the high and low water lines upon the banks of the river, the direction and strength of the currents at all stages of the water, with the soundin gs accurately showing the bed of the stream, and the location of any other bridge or bridges, such map to be sufficiently in detail to enable the Secretary of War to judge of the proper location of said bridge, and shall furnish such other information as may be
