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VOLUME 2

1934

REGISTER

O A im o

r
NUMBER 123

,
Washington Saturday, June 26, 1937
WAR DEPARTMENT.
R ules and R egulations to G overn th e O pen in g op D raw
bridges A cross N avigable S treams F low ing I nto R aritan B ay E xcept R aritan R iver and A rthur K i l l , th e S hrew sbu ry R iver and I ts T ributaries , and A ll I nlets on th e A tlantic O cean I ncluding T h e ir T ributaries and C anals B e t w ee n S andy H ook and B ayhead, N e w J ersey th e law
The River and Harbor Act of August 18, 1894, contains the following section:
S ec . 5. T h at it shall be th e d uty of all persons owning, operating, and tending th e drawbridges now built, or which may hereafter be b u ilt across th e navigable rivers and oth er w aters of th e United States, to open, or cause to be opened, th e draws of such bridges under such rules and regulations as in the opinion of th e Secre tary of W ar th e public in terests require to govern th e opening of drawbridges for th e passage of vessels and o th er w ater crafts, and such rules and regulations, w hen so made and published, shall have the force of law. Every such person who shall willfully fail or refuse to open, or cause to be opened, th e draw of any such bridge for th e passage of a b oat or boats, or who shall unreasonably delay th e opening of said draw after reasonable signal shll have been given, as provided in such regulations, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, an d on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of n o t more th a n tw o thousand dollars nor less th a n one thousand dollars, or by im prisonm ent in th e case of a n atu ral person for not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and im prisonment, in th e discretion of th e court: Provided, T h at th e proper action to enforce th e provisions of th is section may be com menced before any commissioner, Judge, or court of th e United States, and such commissioner, Judge or court shall proceed in respect thereto as authorized by law in case of crimes against th e U nited States: Provided further, T h a t whenever, In th e opinion of the Secretary of War, th e public interests require it, he may make rules and regulations to govern th e opening of drawbridges for th e passage of vessels and o th er water crafts, and such rules and regulations, when so m ade and published, shall have th e force of law, and any violation thereof shall be pu n ish ed as hereinbefore provided.
THE REGULATIONS

In pursuance of tile foregoing law, the following regula tions are prescribed, to govern the opening of drawbridges across navigable streams flowing into Raritan Bay except Raritan River and Arthur K ill, the Shrewsbury River and its tributaries, and all inlets on the A tlantic Ocean including their tributaries and canals between Sandy Hook and Bayhead, New Jersey.
1. The owners of, or agencies controlling, drawbridges shall provide the appliances and the personnel necessary for the safe, prompt and efficient operation of the draws.
2. TJrawbridges shall be opened promptly for the passage of any vessel or other water craft unable to pass under the closed spans, except as hereinafter provided.
3. SignalsCall Signals for Opening of Draw.
Sound Signal: Three distinct blasts of a whistle, horn or megaphone, or 3 loud and distinct strokes of a bell, sounded within a reasonable hearing distance of the bridge.
Visual Signal: To be used in conjunction w ith sound signals when conditions are such that sound signals cannot be heard.

A white flag by day, a white light by night, swung in full circles at arms length in full sight of tile bridges and facing the draw.
Acknowledging SignalsBy bridge operator.
Sound Signals: Draw to be opened imm ediately: Same as call signal.
Draw cannot be opened immediately, or, if open, must be closed immediately: 2 long distinct blasts of a w histle, horn or megaphone, or 2 loud and distinct strokes of a bell, to be re peated at regular intervals until acknowledged by the vessel.
Visual S ig n a ls : To be used in conjunction with sound sig nals when conditions are such that sound signals cannot be heard.
Draw to be opened imm ediately: A white flag by day or a green light at night swung up and down vertically a number of tim es in full sight of the vessel.
Draw cannot be opened immediately, or, if open, must be closed immediately: A red flag by day, a red light by night, swung to and fro horizontally in full sight of the vessel, to be repeated until acknowledged by the vessel.
By the vessel.Vessels or other water craft having sig naled for the opening of the draw and having received a signal that the draw cannot be opened immediately, or if open must be closed immediately, shall acknowledge said signal by one long blast followed by a short blast, or by swinging to and fro horizontally a red flag by day and a red light by night.
4. Trains, automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles, vessels or other water craft shall not be stopped or manipulated in a manner hindering or delaying the operation of these drawbridges, but all passage over draw spans or through draw openings shall be so as to expedite both land and water traffic.
5. The owners of, or agencies controlling, these bridges shall provide and keep in good legible condition two board gauges painted white, with black figures not less than 8
inches high, to indicate the headroom clearance under the closed draw span at all stages of the tide. The gauges shall be so placed on the bridge that they w ill be plainly visible to the operator of the vessel approaching the bridge either up or downstream.
6. These drawbridges shall not be required to open for craft carrying appurtenances unessential for navigation which extend above the normal superstructure. M ilitary m asts shall be considered as part of the normal super structure:
Upon request, the district engineer in charge of the locality will cause inspection to be made of the superstruc ture and appurtenances of any craft habitually frequenting those waterways, with a view to adjusting any differences of opinion in this m atter between the vessel owner and the bridge owner.
7. Copies of these regulations shall be conspicuously posted on both the upstream and downstream sides of the bridges in such manner that it ean be easily read at any tim e.
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