Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-01-19

Council and Township Trustees.
4 Bridge Meeting, called at the in
stance of the City Council by the Mayor
was held last Tuesday evening at the
Council Hall. The object of the meet
ing was to obtain an expression from
. the people i'm regard to the bridge acros;
the Cedar River at this place, which
from age and use, has become quite SUI
peranuated. Mr.. c. May, who repre-
sents this township in the County Board
of Supervisors, informed the meeting o.
what action the Supervisors had taken
in regard to bridge matters, and refer
red to what the Board might do in the
future. Whether or no the County
would aid in building bridges within
our city corporation was yet an open
question. Judge Burt had decided, in
the case of McCullion as. Black Hawk
County, that the city must build and be
responsible for her own bridges; but
had concluded to give the case another
hearing, when it was possible the decis.
ion might be reversed. 1t would Ger
tainly be all wrong to tax Cedar Falls
for bridge purposes, and cntitle her to
no proportion Of the money thus accru-
ing. Either we must be permitted to
draw bridge money from the county, or
be relieved from paying any county
taxes for bridge purposes. This posi-
ton would be held to, it was maintain
cd by a number of gentlemen, lift could
be sanctioned by law.
Mr.. J. L. Wilcox had subscription
of about $1,000 which he and Mr.. S.
Wilson had raised from our citizens,
which, by the conditions stipulated, the
subscribers proposed to loan to the City
of Cedar Falls for the purpose of aiding
in repairs on the bridge, the money to
be refunded when the city should be
able to do so. Mr.. Wilcox thought the
old piers and abutments were good
enough for new superstructurc, which
he thought, from estimates made. couli
be put on for two or three thousand dol
lars. There was a prospect of being able
to obtain the lumber on cars in DUbu-
que for thirty dollars a thousand. BY
pursuing this plan it was thought a
bridge at small expense could be pro-
cured that would last five years or more.
10y which time the city would doubtless
be able to put in a bridge that would be
right He said there was nothing more
important to the prosperity of the place
than keeping roads and bridges in good
repair. He thought it would be to the
interest of Cedar Falls if every dollar of
road tax was laid out on roads leading
south, west and north.
Capt. Speer, while he was anxious to
see such steps taken as would prevent
our being without bridge across the
Cedar for any length of time, WAS
also anxious to see something done to-
ward replacing the bridge across Dry
Run, which went out i'm last springs
freshet. He said the people on that side
of the run were unable at some times
for days and weeks to get over to this
side, which was very announcement and
in many eases very trying. He could
hear of nothing that was being done to
supply that bridge, and he would give
notice that he intended to commence
action in the District Court at its next
sitting unless steps were previously ia
ken.
The discussion reverted to the bridge
across the Cedar. Mr.. r. Il. Carpenter
was afraid the piers were not sound
enough for new superstructure. Mr..
Prouty, bridge builder, thought they
could be easily made secure. Mr.. f. n.
Chase moved that the matter be refer
red to the City Council, and that that
body use its best Judgment in adopting
such measures as were necessary. Mr..
Wilcox amended by adding the Town
ship Trustees, which, being adopted,
the motion prevailed.
There seems to be no disposition to
wait till the old bridge goes down stream
before providing for new one. Before
the spring flood shall come it is hoped
to have structure that will stand high |
water and amy amount of ice-bumping |
Our citizens generally should interest |
themselves in this important work; for. !
if the old bridge be left to go out in |
high water, we might be months with |
out means of crossing the river, except !
on the railroad bridge or by ferry, and |
the business of the place therefore suffer !
a great, almost total, diminution.
We Take q Ride WITH Big Men in a
Big Sleigh.--F. & w. w. Wallace took |
the Board of Trade out riding on Tues
day. The big men insisted on going to
the brewery, and stopping before the
door as they We're wont to do i'm the |
days that used to was when for five |
cents they could get beer. 1t made it
seem SO very like old times, you
know. But it costs a hundred dollar
license now to retail beer, and the brew
cry doesn't do it. The sleigbing, the /
sleigh good for twenty, the |
four horses, and the Knight of the |
Whip all excited our admiration. We |
would like to ride again sometime with |
the big men in the big sleigh.
The Rdilroad.-There was a general !
expectation, out this way, during the |,
heavy snow storm of Monday and Tues
day that snow-embargo would be
placed on the railroad. 1t was pleas
ant disappointment to the people that
their fears were not realized. The trains
arrived and departed with their wonted
regularity. The Dubuque Herald, re-
ferring to this subject, says: "After
halfa-dozen snow storms, when the
grass becomes filed and the snow blows
over the surface because it has no Mace |