only, was devoted wholly to international commerce and that Congress by the Act of June 23, 1874, c. 475, 18 Stat. 275, declared it a lawful structure and an established post route for mail of the United States, did not supplant the authority of the State to require the company to equip the bridge with ways for foot passengers and vehicles as contemplated by its charter. P. 131.

4. The Act of 1874, supra, by declaring the bridge lawful as built, did not repeal the authority given by the Act of 1870, supra, to build subject to the approval of the Secretary of War, and the fact that this bridge was twice rebuilt without foot and carriage ways with the Secretary's consent, but under plans approved by him and providing for such additions in future, supports rather than negatives the view that the power of the State to require them was contemplated throughout and that Congress did not seek to divest it. Id. 5. The mere fact that a bridge is international, crossing an international stream, does not of itself divest the State of power over its part of the structure, in the silence of Congress. P. 133.

6. The Act of March 3, 1899, § 9, c. 425, 30 Stat. 1151, in requiring the assent of Congress to the erection of bridges over navigable waters not wholly within a State, does not make Congress the source of the right to build but assumes that the right comes from the State. Id. 7. The conveyance of a part of the land under the bridge to the United States for a public purpose not connected with the administration of the Government did not affect the authority of New York over the residue within the State, and taken in connection with the acts of the Government before and after the grant does not invalidate, even in part, the New York act requiring the additional construction. P. 134.

223 N. Y. 137, affirmed.

THE case is stated in the opinion.

Mr. Adelbert Moot and Mrs. Helen Z. M. Rodgers, with whom Mr. Henry W. Sprague and Mr. William L. Marcy were on the briefs, for plaintiff in error.

Mr. James S. Y. Ivins, with whom Mr. Charles D. Newton, Attorney General of the State of New York, Mr. Ralph A. Kellogg and Mr. E. C. Aiken were on the briefs, for defendant in error.

Opinion of the Court.

254 U.S.

MR. JUSTICE HOLMES delivered the opinion of the court.

This is a suit brought by the State of New York to recover penalties from the Bridge Company for failure to place upon its bridge a roadway for vehicles and a pathway for pedestrians between Squaw Island in Niagara River and the mainland of New York State as required by c. 666 of the Laws of 1915 of the State of New York. The defendant set up that the act was contrary to the Constitution of the United States in specified respects, but the plaintiff got judgment in the Supreme Court, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. 223 N. Y. 137.

The Bridge Company originally was incorporated by a special charter from the State of New York. Laws of 1857, c. 753. As the bridge was to cross the Niagara River from Buffalo to Canada, a similar corporation was created under the laws of Canada, 20 Vict. c. 227, and subsequently the two corporations were consolidated, pursuant to Laws of New York, 1869, c. 550, and a Canadian Act, 32 and 33 Vict. c. 65, subject to all the duties of each of the consolidated companies. By the Act of Congress of June 30, 1870, c. 176, 16 Stat. 173, any bridge constructed across the Niagara River in pursuance of the New York Act of 1857 and any acts of the New York legislature then in force amending the same was authorized as a lawful structure subject to the supervision of the Secretary of War and his approval of the plans. By the New York Act of 1857, "Said bridge may be constructed as well for the passage of persons on foot and in carriages and otherwise as for the passage of railroad trains," § 15. And "whenever the said bridge shall be complete for the passage of ordinary teams and carriages" the company may erect toll gates and charge tolls not exceeding certain rates for foot passengers, carriages, &c. The original Canadian Act had words similar to those just quoted from

§ 15, except that it said "shall be constructed" instead of "may be," a fact to which we shall advert again.

Between 1870 and 1874 the bridge was built as required by the charter with one draw across Black Rock Harbor and one across the main channel of the river. It crossed Squaw Island on a trestle, afterwards filled in, but was built as a railroad bridge exclusively without any provision for footpaths or roadways. By the Act of Congress of June 23, 1874, c. 475, 18 Stat. 275, it was declared a lawful structure and an established post route for the mail of the United States. In the year 1899 a plan for rebuilding the bridge with wings for roadways and footpaths was approved by the Secretary of War subject to changes at the expense of the Company if the Secretary should deem them advisable. The rebuilding took place in 1899-1901, but omitted the wings, and this modification was assented to by the Secretary of War.

The Niagara River is navigable at this point. In pursuance of plans for improvement adopted by the United States, in 1906 it acquired from the State of New York the land under Black Rock Harbor, lying on the New York side of Squaw Island, and the adjacent portions of the Erie Canal, both being within the limits of the State and crossed by the bridge. Thereafter the improvements were carried out.

In 1907 the Secretary of War gave notice to the Company that the bridge over Black Rock Harbor and Erie Canal obstructed navigation and that changes were required. The Company submitted plans again showing in dotted lines wings for roadways and footpaths, noting that they were not to be put in at present but that provision was made in the design for their future construction. The plans were approved and the bridge was built without the wings, the completion being reported by his resident representative to the Secretary of War.

By c. 666 of the laws of New York for 1915, the charter

of the Company was amended so as to require the construction of a roadway for vehicles and a pathway for pedestrians upon the draw across Black Rock Harbor, the Company being allowed to charge tolls not exceeding specified sums. The Company failed to comply with the requirement and the time limit had expired before this suit was brought to recover penalties imposed by the act. It is found that the construction was necessary for the public interest and convenience; that the cost of the changes is insignificant in comparison with the assets and net earnings of the Company, and that it does not appear that the investment would not yield a reasonable

return.

The first objections to the new requirement made by the State are that it impairs the obligation of the contract in the original charter and takes the Company's property without due process of law. The argument is based partly upon a reduction of the tolls from those mentioned in the charter of 1857, made by the Act of 1915. Concerning this it is enough to say that the objection is premature. The clause relating to the construction of the roadway and pathway is distinct from and independent of that which fixes the maximum rates to be charged. The latter might be invalid and the former good. If the rates are too low they can be changed at any time. The only question now before us is whether the additions shall be built. As to that it would be going very far in the way of limiting the reserved right to amend such charters, if it should be held that the State had not power to require what originally was contemplated in permissive words as part of the scheme. But however that might be, the New York Act authorizing consolidation subjected this consolidated corporation to the duties of the Canadian as well as of the New York charter, and the Canadian Act made the arrangement for foot passengers and carriages a duty. The words that we have quoted plainly impose one. The

opinion in Attorney-General v. International Bridge Co., 6 Ont. App. 537, 543, implies that they do so by speaking of the abandonment of a portion of the work as probably an abuse of the Act of Parliament, and the same is clearly stated in Canada Southern Ry. Co. v. International Bridge Co., 8 App. Cases, 723, 729.

It is argued that, the Canadian Act governing only the Canadian side, its adoption by New York carried the obligation no farther. But it appears to us that it would be quibbling with the rational understanding of the duty assumed to say that the Company could have supposed that it had a contract or property right to confine its building of the footpath and carriage-way to the Canada side of the boundary line.

The New York legislature of course confined its command to the half of the bridge within its jurisdiction. It may be presumed that if that command is obeyed either Canada or the Company will see the propriety of carrying the way and path across to the other shore. At all events the power of New York to insist upon its rights is not limited by speculation upon that point. As we agree with the Court of Appeals that this amendment to the charter was within the power reserved to the State the objection under the contract clause of the Constitution of course must fail, and, it would seem, that under the Fourteenth Amendment also. But as to the latter we may add, as the Court of Appeals added, that there is nothing to show that the addition to the structure will not yield a reasonable return; if that be essential in view of the charter. Missouri Pacific Ry. Co. v. Kansas, 216 U. S. 262. Chesapeake & Ohio Ry. Co. v. Public Service Commission, 242 U. S. 603.

The only argument that impresses us and the one that was most pressed is that this is an international bridge, and that Congress has assumed such control of it as to exclude any intermeddling by the State. It is said that