Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-11-22
TUE Nrw wApsrr Bsrpog.-I. is a pleas

TUE NEW WAPsfE BRiD0E.-It IL pleas
ant ride out 20 the Wapsie--only seventeen
miles, and through the garden spot Of the
county. l. always was favori,e drive
Going to the Wspsie Was one thing get
ting acros. the Wapsis vas quite another.
In its quiet moods there was not much
trouble in finding ferryman, but when
this classic stream got walked up by melting
SHOWS or heavy rains, she just came down
in torrents. spreading herself ever vast
quantities Of bottom land, rendering the
passage across extremely dangerous and tire
some for both man aud beast, il, indeed,
any passage could Be obtained At oil. For
more than twenty years the people Of Scott
and Clinton counties-between which the
wapsie glides- have talked and planned
snd figured over . Wspse bridge. Ihe
advantages we're numerous to people on
both sides. That bridge would pay for
i.self every four or Eve years there Was no
doubt. still there was ten thousand dollars
10 raise, and over that consideration every
good resolution stumbled aud fell to the
ground.
Last winter the matter WAS taken up
sg,in in good earnest. No more talk was
used than necessary, but several entsrpris
ing citizens here and ont on both sides Of
the aforesaid river went to work TO rsise
the necessary funds to build bridge, and
by dnt Of hard labor succeeded in getting
subscriptions to warrant the commencement
OF the work. On the 3lst Of last month the
contract was let 70 Messrs. Neafie l. Ank-
eny. Of Clinton, who sub let the abutment
work to Z. II. Buell., Of Walnut Grove
That same day the contractors bargained
for 73 900 feet Of lumber With French L Da-
vies Of this city, who sawed aud delivered
the most Of it within six days from the
date Of contract All the lumber and stone
Was on the spot last Saturday night, and
the work we'll under way.
Ia company with L. Smith. Esq one Of
the Directors, We visited the spot last Wed
nesday. The energetic contractors were
actively engaged with plenty Of men push
ing the work ahead. Mr. Buell. had the
piers we'll under way, 90 much so - to be
able to complete them BY next Monday o'
Tuesday. The Abutments on each side are
1872 feet apart, resting upon permanent
sand bottom. They arc seven feet thick
on the bottom and recsde to four feet ct tha
top-presenting . frontage Of 90 feet
The face tier 10 laid in cement, and oil %
heavy stone quarricd . mile or two abov,
the bridge on the Clinton side. The fac,
OF the abutments stands back several fee
from the water, and the inter venEg grount
is to be securely rip-rapped.
One side Of the bridge was framed AM
the other we'll commenced. The span vii
be 900 feet; curvature Of chords lS inches
curvature Of arch beam II feet. The ma
terial is Of the very best quality, and viii
be in shape 70 commen,e putting it up mex
week. II is OF the lattice style, dcsiEne,
by Engineer W. y. Clark. Of this city, an
| vii. be most substantial structure in over
particular. The enterprising contractor
will have it ready for use in much less tim
than their contract calls for. The location
(Stcphens' Ferry) 10 undoubtedly the IN %
favorable that could have been selected. :
The approach on this side is without an!
obstacle whatever- the banks being $
high that they are never overflowed O
the Clinton county side some sloughs vi
have to be bridged and some trestlc- wor
built, and some road work done. Thi
will be an additional expense Of abou
81 800, and when completed, a. it will b
this fall, the communication between IN
two counties-so long hoped for, will
perfect, over a substantial bridge six fec
above high water mark. That it vii, be
handsomely paying investment to the stcet
holders there can be no doubt. Our me,
chants would have made money by erectn
ityears ago. and they will DO so yet
There is deficiency Of about thrc
thousand dollars to be made up in orde
to hsve the work free Of incumbrance :
To raise this strong effort will he mad,
and VIZ hope th-t our business mon an
property holders who are to reap the ber
efis will subscribe promptly. The eniir
work costs about $4,000. |, will pay nc
less than ten and probably nearer twent
per cent. per annum directly to the owr
ere, besides the general advantages.
Police CorRr. - Several OF the note
evil-doers Of the city were brought t
| rrief fc .HaY lna M;ehaol 4. ailn rhos a.,e