BRIDGE ACROSS THE WILLAMETTE RIVER.

DECEMBER 16, 1890.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. MASON, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT:

[To accompany S. 3929.]

The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (S. 3929) authorizing the city of Albany, in the county of Linn, State of Oregon, to construct a bridge across the Willamette River in said State, having fully considered the same, respectfully report it back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass after being amended as follows: Add to the bill the following additional sections:

SEC. 5. That said city of Albany, or any county or counties, corporation, or persons owning, controlling, or operating the bridge built under the authority of this act shall build and maintain at all times as accessory works to said bridge such booms, piers, dikes, guard fences, and similar devices as may be necessary to insure at all times a permanent channel for a sufficient distance above and below the bridge site, and for guiding of rafts, steamboats, and other water craft safely under or through said bridge, as may be prescribed by the Secretary of War.

SEC. 6. That in case the bridge authorized by this act shall be constructed to provide for the passage of railroad trains, then all railroad companies desiring the use of the bridge shall have and be entitled to equal rights and privileges relative to the passage of railway trains or cars over the same, and over the approaches thereto, upon the payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case the owner or owners of said bridge and the several railroad companies, or any one of them, desiring such use 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; and equal privileges in the use of said bridge and approaches shall be granted to all telegraph and telephone companies.

SEC. 7. That this act shall be null and void if actual construction of the bridge herein authorized be not commenced within two years and completed within four years from the date of approval thereof.

SEC. 8. That the right to alter, amend, or repeal this act is hereby expressly reserved; and the right to require the entire removal of the bridge constructed under the provisions of this act, at the expense of the owners thereof, whenever Congress shall decide that the public interests require it, is also expressly reserved.

BRIDGE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE RIVER NEAR BROWNSVILLE, TEX.

DECEMBER 16, 1890.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. MASON, from the Committee on Commerce, submitted the following

REPORT:

[To accompany H. R. 11781.]

The Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 11781) authorizing the Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company to construct a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Brownsville, Tex., having fully considered the same, respectfully report it back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass, after being amended in accordance with the recommendation of the Secretary of War.

A copy of the bill as thus amended, together with the letter of the Secretary of War and that of the officer in charge of the office of the Chief of Engineers, are herewith annexed and made a part of this report.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, August 30, 1890.

SIR: I return herewith H. R. 11781 "to authorize the Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company to construct a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Brownsville, Tex.," referred to this Department on the 25th instant, and invite your attention to the inclosed report of the officer in charge of the office of the Chief of Engineers, dated the 28th instant, and an amended copy of the bill, which expresses the views of the Department.

Very respectfully,

The CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,

L. A. GRANT, Acting Secretary of War.

House of Representatives.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY,

Washington, D. C., August 28, 1890.

SIR: I have the honor to return herewith H. R. 11781, Fifty-first Congress, first session, "A bill to authorize the Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company to construct a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Brownsville, Tex." This bill is similar to S. 4326, Fifty-first Congress, first session, concerning which report was made by this office on the 26th instant.

It is recommended that H. R. 11781 be amended as follows:

Section 1. Strike out all after the word "foot-passengers," in line 18, and substitute therefor the following: "for such reasonable rates of toll as may be approved from time to time by the Secretary of War."

Section 3, before the word "draw," in line 2, insert the word "pivot," and after the word "river," in line 3, insert the following: "Provided, That said draw shall be opened promptly upon reasonable signal for the passage of boats and other water

H. Rep. 1-16

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 Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company shall maintain at its own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge as the United States Light-House Board shall prescribe."

Section 4, line 9, strike out the words "the topography of," and insert in lieu thereof "giving the high and low water lines upon;" line 11, change the word "and" to "with" line 12, before the word "the," insert "and," and after the word "bridges" insert "such map to be sufficiently in détail to enable the Secretary of War to judge of the proper location of said bridge."

Insert an additional section as follows:

"SEC. 5. 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 or cars over the same, and over the approaches thereto, upon the payment of a reasonable compensation for such use; and in case 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 the 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."

Change section numbered 5 to 6, and section numbered 6 to 7.

Strike out section numbered 7, and insert a new section as follows:

"SEC. 8. That the consent of the Mexican State of Tamaulipas and of the proper authorities of the Republic of Mexico shall first have been obtained before said bridge shall be built or commenced."

Change section numbered 8 to 9.

Insert an additional section, as follows:

66

"SEC. 10. That this act shall be null and void if actual construction of the bridgr herein authorized be not commenced within two years and completed within foue years from the date hereof."

A copy of H. R. 11781, with the proposed amendments indicated thereon, is herewith submitted, and as thus amended I know of no objection to its passage by Congress, so far as the interests of navigation are concerned.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. REDFIELD Proctor,

Secretary of War.

H. M. ADAMS,

Major, Corps of Engineers, in charge.

A BILL to authorize the Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company to construct a bridge across the Rio Grande at or near Brownsville, Texas.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company, a corporation chartered under the laws of Texas, and now actually constructing a standard-gauge railway connecting the standard-gauge railway system of the United States, at Corpus Christi, Texas, with the Republic of Mexico upon the shortest and most direct line which it is possible to construct to the City of Mexico and beyond to Central and South America, by and with the consent of the Government of Mexico and the Mexican State of Tamaulipas, is 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 railway trains, and for the passage of wagons and vehicles of all kinds, for the transit of animals and for foot-passengers, for such reasonable rates of toll as may be approved from time to time by the Secretary of War.

SEC. 2. That any bridge built under this act and subject to its limitations 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 in the United States.

SEC. 3. That said bridge shall be constructed with a pivot draw of sufficient capacity to afford free passage to such vessels and boats as navigate said river: Provided, That said draw shall be opened promptly 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 Corpus Christi and South America Railway Company shall maintain at its own expense, from sunset to sunrise, such lights or other signals on said bridge as the United States Light-House Board shall prescribe. And