However, no bridge spanned the Missouri, and thus the NP faced a major obstacle to the transportation of railroad construction materials westward. Boxcars loaded with equipment and supplies had to be ferried across the river, causing delays of many hours, if not days. During a few, exceptionally cold months, perilous crossings of the Missouri could be made by trains following tracks laid across ice on the frozen river. Efficient and safe crossing of the river became imperative to the very survival of the company. View, facing to the east, of the pier construction.
East pier is visible in right foreground.
Construction of piers for a bridge at Bismarck began in 1881. The two middle piers were located in the river and, therefore, posed more difficult construction problems. The excavations for these two piers were made possible by the use of pneumatic caissons, much like giant diving bells, which enabled the men to work below the water line. If any fatalities or injuries occurred during construction of the bridge, they are not reported in the engineer's report. The successful completion of the test was marked by sounds of whistles from the eight locomotives, the whistles of steamboats below the bridge, and the cheers of the thousands of on-lookers who had gathered to watch.