The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-05-05

The Davenport Gazette says q correspon-
dent of the Chicago Press, who was on the
first train that crossed the magnificent struc-
tnre which spans the Mississippi River at
this point, thus gives his views on the occa-
sion and also furnishes his readers with a
description Of the stupendous work. He has
fallen into the very common error Of sup
posing the Mississippi river to run north and
south here, while It's course is precisely due
east and west, the bridge crossing it at right
angles:
''That such an event should have occurred
without an assemblagc Of spectators from
all quarters Of the globe 10 witness il. is ONLY
another instance of tho mighty progress
which has been made within the last fifty
wears in the science Of bridge building. A..
We approached Rock Island, there were ru-
mora aAoat that We would cross to Iowa on
the new bridge. ''Cross the Mississippi on
bridget cried an intelligent looking gentle
man son a bridge ~ simpered feminine
voice from young lady to her parents, bound
| for Council Bluffs, '.why, pa, thought the
Mississippi was great river, larger than the
! Hudson I"
So silently has this work progressed, that
while half the world has been asleep. ren-
JUS has been spanning the mghtiest river on
| the globe, aud connecting two as magnificent
sections of territory as the sun ever shone
on.
| Swiftly we sped along the iron track
1 Rock Island appeared in sight--the whistle
sounded, and the cond uctor cried out. s'Pas-
sengcrs for Iowa keep their seats - There
was pause--a hush, as 1T were, preparatory
TO the herceness Of tornado. The cars
moved on--the bridge was reached-ssWe're
on the bridge--see the mighty Mississippi
rolling on bcueath''-- land all ewes were fast
on the mighty parapets of the magnificent
bridge, over which we gllded in solemn ST.
lence. a few minutes aud the suspended
breath was let loose, s'We're overt" was III,
cry, 1--WE have crossed the Mississippi in
railroad carr' This is glory enough fo
one cay" said passenger, rs he hustled
his carpet bag and himself out Of the carr
We followed, TO view the mighty structure
The bridge was built by the Railroat
Bridge Co., of which Henry Farnham, ALSO.
is President and Chief Engineer, and y. Il
Judd. Sec'y.
The bridge connects the Chicago and Rocl
bland and the Mississippi and Missouri Rail
roads, of which Mr. Farnham and Gen. ohr
A. Dix are the respective Presidents, and j
F. Tracy, and j. L. Henry nre the respectiy,
superin.endents.
The honor of having been the first to cree
a railroad bridge across the Mississippi is n,
light one and when that mighty river i
spanned at numerous points, the name O.
Henry Farnam and the enterprsing and en-
7 ergetc officers of the Chicago and Rocl
Island and Mississippi and Missouri Rail
roads, Will illuminate history as among tn.
pioneers of engineering IN the Great West
The bridge was erected BY Messrs. Stone 4
Boomer, Of Chicago, and Mr.. Boyington, o
the firm Of Stone, Boomer 4 Boyington. O.
Davenport, superintendent the erection. Th'
masonry was built by John Warner, of RocI
9 ahutments were built was brought from Rocl
: River, IL Claire and Hampton
The timber came partly from the Upper
Mississippi and partly from Chicago an,
: Buffalo. and the iron and castings from Tia
q works Of Stone, Boomer K Bouton. Of Chi.
eago
{ There are two bridges the oSlougl
Bridge which crosses from Illinois to tn
, island, over a channel which the Mississippi
!, has made on the east side Of the Island. an,
. the '.Main Bridge which extends iron tn
island TO the Iowa shore.
q The main bridge consists If FIVE spans BE
= sides the draw. Three Of these spans ar
! on the west side Of the draw, and two on tn
east side. The entire length of tie bridge
Y from the island 10 the Iowa shore. i | -
; feet. Leach span j. 80 feet in the clear. an,
. the draw 286 feet. r
The appearance Of the bridge fromt ori,
er is magnificent, while sthe immcnsehess d
u the structure strikes the heholder with won
Ter, and 10 witness the ''iron horse" rushing
over this mighty river where but few year
ago Black Hawk and his savage tribes were
e the sole possessors. Truly It IS a great, ;
J. magnificent work"