The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-26
The New Bridge.


| 1GV8 I0BD VI t00 ~ OIA
| The government bridge across the
Mississippi at this point is undoubtedly the
greatest public enterprise now progressing
in the entire Northwest, and the completion
of the work is regarded as the great event OF
the per;od and absorbs the attention OF all
to the exclusion of almost everything else.
FL, oo time 10 have said little about the
nrogress of the work since the change of
af;cers, in October, intending to wait and
ace whether the new ones filled the bill to
our satisfaction, and now we are able to
report progress with feelings of pride and
entire satisfaction.
The number of hands employed at present
is about $50, working by the hour, receiving
graded prices according to workmant hip,
laborers receiving 20 cents an hour, masons,
stone cutters, and settlers, receiving 80 to As
cents. The Winneconne and LIE Claire, two
little boats, the former owned by the
government, the latter by Case & Co., do
the necessary towing and transport of
men.
Messrs. Singer & Tslcott, near Joliet, have
the contract for furnishing stone, of which
there will be, in the piers, draws and
abutment when finished about 1900 yards.
They deliver it on the Island at $ll per
cubic yard, it costs $l3 more per yard to put
it in the piers, making the total cost of one
cubic yard $24. About 900
feet of lumber we're required
for the Golfer dams, which are 1880 feet in
width and about lS or 20 feet deep, the
wallis 20 feet thick, and are built of four inch
plank, braced with sx10 inch timber, and
filled on the inside with sand and earth.
The base o. the piers is l2x65 feet, the
nose sloping At an angle of45 degrees. The
surface on top of the piers is 7x43 feet. The
size of the upper rest of the draw pier is
4Ox60 feet, the nose is protected by wrought
iron, half an inch thick
The pier No. from the Iowa shore is
completed; pier No. 2 was completed yes
terday; pier No. 8 is some courses of stone
work above the water; pier No. is about
the same, and the probabilities are that both
with good weather. Pier No. 5 labors under
difficulties, it being impossible to prevail
upon the Golfer dam to quit leaking, owing
to the pecu lisrty ofthe river bed at that
oint,-msking it somewhat probable that
the pier will haze to be omitted altogether
The upper rest Of the No. 6 pier is nearly
com pleted, the pivot or centre pier of the
draw is completed. The sbutments on both
sides are completed. Thus stands the work;
with the exception OF the refractory pier,
and with the continuation of this pleasant
weather for ten days, the piers viii! be ready
for the superstrucsurs. Since the change in
officers the work has progressed with
the utmost speed, and the attitude
in which the work now stands
is due entirely to the good management,
untiring energy, and personal attention of
our Major Ssickney, of whom the Davenport
Gazette thus truthfully speaks:
Major Stickney took charge of the work
oCtODcI Ctu huO oe AS 10 ossOCiElcu
the great enterprise upon which Davenport
builds SO many hopes, g short sketch of his
previous career will not be out Of place
Ma or Amos Stickney is native or MIS-
souri,, son OF Benjamin S,ickney,tor many
years one of the proprietors of the Planters
House, St. Louis He entered West Point
IN 1860, and wAs graduated from that insti
tuition four years later, third in . large class.
He was immediately assigned to duty as
Assistant Chief Engineer Of the Army of the
Tennessee, serving on the staff of General
o Q. Howard. Subsequently he became
Chief Engineer of the same army, and in
that capacity made the march from Atlanta
to the Sea. When that army was mustered
out q, Louisville, the Major was transferred
to the staff of Gen. Warren, the officer in
charge OF improvements on western waters.
When the work on the bridge was taken out
of the hands of the contractors, Msjor Stick
ney took their place, responsible trust tor
g young man who, seven years ago was "a
school boy. Ths, the trust will be amply
and honestly fulfilled there can be no doubt.
The Major is abou. - years of age, of
medium height why build, AMI with snap
enough in him to furnish the motive power
of the Great Eastern. He Is brother in law
to Mr.. Ransom r. Cattle, of Rock Island.
-~o---