Public Law 73–484

That in order to

Columbia River.

Oregon-Washington Bridge. Board of Trustees may bridge, at Astoria, Oreg.

promote interstate commerce, improve the postal service, and provide for military and other purposes, Guy Boyington, judge of the county court of Clatsop County, Oregon, and his successors in office, J. C. Ten Brook, mayor of the city of Astoria, Oregon, and his successors in office, and L. D. Williams, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners of Pacific County, Washington, and his successors in office, all as trustees, are hereby authorized to construct, maintain, and operate a bridge and approaches thereto across the Columbia River, at a point suitable to the interests of navigation, at Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon, in accordance with the provisions of the Act entitled “An Act to regulate the construction of

Construction.

Vol. 34, p. 84.

bridges over navigable waters approved March 23, 1906, and subject to the conditions and limitations contained in this Act; and

Conditions and limitations.

said trustees shall own and hold said bridge in trust for Clatsop County, Oregon, Pacific County, Washington, and the city of Astoria, Oregon; said trustees being known as and functioning as the Oregon-Washington Bridge Board of Trustees, and serving without compensation. Said board of trustees is hereby granted the right to assign, transfer, and mortgage all the rights, powers,

Rights of trustees to assign, etc., rights.

and privileges conferred by this Act.

Sec. 2.

There is hereby conferred upon said board of trustees all

Acquisition of approaches, etc.

such rights and powers to enter upon lands and to acquire, condemn, occupy, possess, and use real estate and other property needed for the location, construction, maintenance, and operation of such bridge and its approaches as are possessed by railroad corporations for railroad purposes or by bridge corporations for bridge purposes in the State in which such real estate or other property is situated, upon making just compensation therefor, to be ascertained and paid according to the laws of such State, and the proceedings therefor shall lie the same as in the condemnation or expropriation of property for public purposes in such State.

Sec. 3.

The said board of trustees is hereby authorized to fix and

Toll rates.

charge tolls for transit over such bridge, and the rates of toll so fixed shall be the legal rates until changed by the Secretary of War under the authority contained in the Act of March 23, 1906.

Vol. 34, p. 85.

Sec. 4.

In fixing the rates of toll to be charged for the use of

Rates to be applied to operation, sinking fund, etc.

such bridge the same shall lie so adjusted as to provide a fund sufficient to pay for the reasonable cost of maintaining, repairing, and operating the bridge and its approaches under economical management. and to provide a sinking fund sufficient to amortize the cost of such bridge and its approaches, including reasonable interest and financing cost, as soon as possible, under reasonable charges, but within a period of not to exceed twenty-five years from the completion thereof. After a sinking fund sufficient for such amortization

Maintenance as free bridge after amortizing costs.

shall have been so provided, such bridge shall thereafter be maintained and operated free of tolls, or the rates of toll shall thereafter be so adjusted as to provide a fund of not to exceed the amount necessary for the proper maintenance, repair, and operation of the bridge

Record of expenditures and receipts.

and its approaches under economical management. An accurate record of the cost of the bridge and its approaches; the expenditures for maintaining, repairing, and operating the same; and of the daily tolls collected shall be kept and shall be available for the information of all persons interested.

Sec. 5.

The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby expressly reserved.