of the obstruction can be established in a less time, to be given to all persons interested, either personally or by publication in a newspaper published nearest to the locality of the obstruction, requiring them to remove such obstruction: And provided also, That the Secretary of War may, in his discretion, at or after the time of serving such notice, cause sealed proposals to be solicited by public advertisement, giving reasonable notice of not less than ten days, for the removal of such obstruction as soon as possible after the expiration of the above specified thirty days' personal or published notice, in case it has not in the meantime been so removed, these proposals and contract at his discretion to be conditioned that such vessel, boat, water craft, raft, or other obstruction, and all cargo and property contained therein, shall become the property of the contractor, and the contract shall be awarded to the bidder making the proposition most advantageous to the United States, provided he shall give satisfactory security to execute the work: Provided further, That any money received from the sale of any such wreck or from any contractor for the removal of wrecks under this paragraph shall be deposited to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States. SEC. 12. That under emergency in the case of any vessel, boat, water craft, or raft sinking or grounding, or being unnecessarily delayed in any Government canal or lock, or in any navigable channel of the United States in such manner as to stop, seriously interfere with, or specially endanger navigation in the opinion of the Secretary of War, or any agent of the United States to whom the Secretary may delegate proper authority, the latter shall have the right to take immediate possession of such boat, vessel, or other water craft, or raft, so far as to remove it and to clear immediately the canal, lock, or navigable channel of the obstruction thereby caused, using his best judgment to prevent any unnecessary injury to the removed craft; and no one shall interfere or prevent such removal: Provided, That the officer or agent charged with the removal of an obstruction under this section may in his discretion give notice in writing to the owners of any such obstruction, requiring them to remove it: And provided further, That the expense of removing any such obstruction as aforesaid shall be a charge against such craft and cargo, and if the owners thereof fail or refuse to reimburse the United States for such expense within thirty days after notification then the officer or agent aforesaid may sell the craft or cargo or any part thereof that may not have been destroyed in removal, and the proceeds of such sale shall be covered into the Treasury of the United States. Such sum of money as may be necessary to execute this section and the preceding section of this act is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be paid out on the requisition of the Secretary of War. SEC. 13. That all laws or parts of laws inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed. LAWS AFFECTING THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION, AND 1896-1897. 4149 LAWS AFFECTING THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY. FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION, 1896-97. PUBLIC ACTS. CHAP. 12.-An Act To approve and ratify the construction of a January 13, 1897. bridge over and across Caddo Lake, at Mooringsport, Louisiana, by the Kansas City, Shreveport and Gulf Railway Company. Caddo Lake, City, Shreveport Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives Bridge across of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Mooringsport, the construction by the Kansas City, Shreveport and Gulf La.. by Kansas Railway Company, a corporation duly organized under the and Gulf Raillaws of the State of Louisiana, of the bridge over Caddo way Company, Lake, at the village of Mooringsport, Louisiana, be, and the same hereby is, approved and ratified, subject to the stipu lations and conditions hereinafter set forth. approved. ture and post SEC. 2. That said bridge, so long as maintained accord- Lawful strucing to the limitations of this Act, shall be a lawful structure, route. and shall be known and recognized as a post route, and the same is hereby declared to be a post route, upon which 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 the same, than the rate per mile paid for their transportation over the railroads leading to said bridge, and equal privileges in the use of said bridge shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies; and the United States shall have the right of way across said bridge for a postal telegraph. SEC. 3. That said bridge shall be under and subject to such regulations for the security of the navigation of said lake as the Secretary of War shall prescribe, and the present plan and structure of said bridge shall not be altered or changed except by consent of the Secretary of War, and with his approval of the proposed change or alteration; and to secure that object the said company or corporation shall submit to the Secretary of War, for file, a design and drawings of said bridge and a map of the location, prepared with reference to a known datum plane, upon prescribed scale, furnished by the engineer officer having Postal telegraph. Secretary of War to approve changes, etc. Provisos. supervision of said lake, giving, for the space of one mile above and one mile below the location of the bridge, the topography of the banks of the lake, with 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: Provided, That any change or alteration in the Expenses of changes. said bridge which the Secretary of War may deem necesAids to navi sary in the interest of navigation shall be made by the said railroad company at its own expense: Provided, also, That said bridge shall be so kept and managed by the company owning or operating it as to afford during the periods at which the lake is navigable proper ways and means for the passage through or under it of vessels, barges, or rafts, both by day and by night; and during the periods at which the lake is navigable there shall be displayed on said bridge from sunset to sunrise such lights and signals as may be directed by the Light House Board. gation. Lights, etc. Use by other companies. SEC. 4. That all railroad companies desiring the use of said bridge shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains over the same, and over the approaches thereto, upon payment Compensation of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case Amendment, etc. the owner or owners of said bridge and the several railroad companies, or any one of them, desiring such use shall fail to agree upon the sum or sums to be paid, and upon rules and conditions to which each shall conform in using said bridge, all matters at issue between them shall be decided by the Secretary of War, upon a hearing of the allegations and proofs of the parties. SEC. 5. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act at any time. Approved, January 13, 1897. January 13, 1897. Watkins and CHAP. 13.-An Act Authorizing the Kansas City, Watkins and Gulf Railway Company to construct and maintain a bridge across the Black River, in Louisiana. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Kansas City; the Kansas City, Watkins and Gulf Railway Company, a Gulf Railway corporation created and existing under and by virtue of Company may bridge Black the laws of the State of Louisiana, be, and is hereby, River, Louisiana. authorized to construct and maintain a bridge across Black on, River, in the State of Louisiana, at such point suitable to the interests of navigation as may hereafter be selected by said railway company for crossing said river with its railroad line. Said bridge shall be constructed to provide for the passage of railway trains, and at the option of said Railway, wag railway company, may be used for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, for the transit of animals, and and foot bridge. |