Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-06-01
THE BwuDGE QUESTION.
Senator MortOn ON 0BrId ges 81 the
Ohio and Upper Mississippi.

Soon after The opening Of the Senate on
MAY 2lst, Governor Morton obtained the
foor on his resolution to recommit tho bill
authorising railroad bridge over the Ohio
at Psducah, and that the committee be re-
qussted to report a general bill. regulating
tns erection Of oil bridges upon the man
wsstern rivers. Upon this Governor Nor
ton said Il
The subject is ono Of great interest ana
Importance 10 the people Of the Northwest
and 10 all. in fact, who are interested IN the
nAvisation Of the Ohio and Mississippi
r;vsrs. Ssveralsbridgss have already bssn
authorized By act Of Congress across the |
uppsr Mississippi, which undertake to say, |
II constructed, will substantially destroy |
the navigation Of the upper Mississippi. |
Thu bin, which propose 70 refer 6aek -
70 The ee0mittee on post-o6aces aed
post-roads, hes passed the House. author
ling the construction Of across the Ohio
river at Paducah, and another bill 10 now
10 possession Of the same committee, au-
thorizing the construction Of bridge, on
similar terms, across the Ohio at Cincin-
natl. The privilege in this bill, Of the con-
struotion Of . drawbridge, ought 10 be ab-
solutsly withdraw, for reasons which
will present TO the committee, and the priv
ilege Of constructing . higher bridge, with
4 span OF three hundred feet over the cen
tire of the current Of . river ought to de-
MED, and the span should not be less than
five hundred feet. Tho bridge authorized
at Stsubsnville, and which has bsen con-
structed, has demon strated beyond oil quss-
ton the fact that bridge With span OF
only three hundred feet ia . great impedi-
,ncnt to navigation, and that few such
bridges constructed over the Ohio river
would virtually dss,roy it, navigatian. One
bad bridge becomes the protection Of ane-
ther. and il these distractions ere multi.
) piled they will become too great tot any
; power Of removal, and the substantial navi'
! CATION Of the river will 10 gone forever. II
10, therefore, Of the utmost importance, thai
without delay, there should b some gene
ral law enacted in references 70 bridging th'
Ohio ind Mississippi rivers which will pro
} tsct the interests Of navigation. We mus
, foster the sailtsAA inAseeste slso. The 10
tsrsoes q navieaAieu and u suilseads ~
: not incompatible. The are not antagenie
tic. Both may eaist togsshes. Bat ID
4 navigation Of great rivsrs 10 Of the 6rss lon
q portoacs = The peopis Of We United Slatss
and n 10 The duty Of Cosgrsss y proeee
:. he navisatiea Of these streams sgainss ID
u coustru etiou Of improper bridges.
After presenting sarsfully prepared se'
tislics Of the Ohio river, Gov. Morton rsa
y the opinions Of ffty eight river pilots Of
o. average experience Of twenty years. On
q the opinions Of the board Of underwater
a in which strong grounds were taken again
- spans Of only 500 feet. He then Rad y
DO resolutions Of the city council Of Cinss
- matt in favor OF 800 feet span, and folls,
70. Cd that with . similar opinion from q
y. Chamber Of Oomusscs Of Ulncinnsli. II
- methods Of floating bavgss aud tows % q
81 rivers, and the difficulties Of passing ths
md through the bridges was clearly explain
ose 70 the Senate, - also the feasibility
M 500 feet spans, - shown by we'll know
engineers. Capt. Earl's letter rsgardi
''u the St. Louis bridge, was also read
1t length, and the governor continued
cts Even, Mr. President. II a bridge Of sc
..d feet span was moro costly, yet railro
companies should be required to incur
'"' costs. II they cost three times as muc
oor what 10 that compared TO the obstructi
OF great river like the Ohio or Upp
Mississippi. Tho cost Of . bridge can hai
IDS ly 10 taken into tho calculation in determ
ing the question OF how . bridge should
'"' built liza proper bridge cost three tim
my or four times as much. still they should
ion required 10 build bridge that will not n
clip ,erially interfere with navigation. tn
~. permanent and continuing injury, donbl
~ every tune . bridge is built-ons bird
IN becoming . protection for another, un
OF these distractions are too powerful TO be
N in moved.
vho therefore ask the committee to cons
are Or this question and report to the Ssaat'
oIks general Law 70 provide for bridging
emit. Ohio and Mississippi rivers. to the prov
M ions of which al bridges shall Be requil
to conform; thai these bridges shall
he high enough, say so feet above high vat
to enable steamer % pass without obstr
ton, and that they shall have spans Of I
II. less than 500 feet. Ridges with this o.
man can be built We know that they ha
res been. They havo been in use for years
on other countries. Engineering science !
this greatly advanced. They can be built v
cit very little more cost than ordinary bridg
was and thus tina railroad interes, can be p
! OF teeted and fostered at the same time Il
Mill the navigation Of these great rivers is
han Impaired.
and Now, Mr.. President, I want the conn
. in tee - cxa,nipe this whole question "
t the them to send for engineers, for persons
lcral anu hsCeIthiu Wuhb CdN bo uVuc
I'd Of protect the railroad interest aud extend
and at the same time protect the nav gat
De on these great rivers. It's u matter of i
nor Importance to all the northwestern Sta'
and the legislation should DO brought ab
rem- before this Congress adjourna. Ten brid
and are authorized. The building OF som,
did them is about to commence, and it 10
portsnt that this action be taken Def
J. they commence building those bridges
. Tho injury to the navigation Of the Up
!. Mississippi. BY bridges already authors
would be inca:culabls amounting, 10 Il
70 iss destruction. | ask now to have
'sgu' resolution adopted, and the papers refer
sury to the committee.
are The rssolution wss agrsed 10.
With. Tho dsb.ts was Ala, ne,tic;oa,.a IN
sh's Ssnasor Pomsssy, vhs said grsss din
ties were in the way Of very leag draws
'op'e Of insisting % suspension bridges q
% 20 peints.