The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-08-25


Two meetings have been held during the past
week in the interest of freeing the Illinois river
bridge in this city. OF these the more important
was held on Tuesday afternoon at the once OF
Mr. c. S. Phelps which was attended by Mayor
Nicholson, the committee appointed from the
CITY Council, Highway Commissioners Hoban,
Kelly and Calvin, of Ottawa, Commissioners Low
man, Loyejoy and Pool, of South Ottawa, and
Messrs Ebcrsol of Fall River, Palmer of Grand
Rapids, Kirkpatrick of Deer Park, and Mills, Ma
son and Pickens of South Ottawa.
The desirable object to obtain is to buy, II pos
sible, the present Illinois river bridge, owing per
hans to its GOOD site, and in order to come to
definite understanding on the subject and to act
intelligently in making an offer to the Bridge Co.
for their structure, Commissioner Pool made the
following statement regarding the original cost
and present value, in his opinion OF the bridge
The statement, or report, contained some figures
and facts also relating to the cost of the Utica
Bridge, giving fair idea Of the cost Of q similar
structure at this point:
The bridge, when first built, cost in round
numbers, $4,000. After the piers were built the
bridge then cost, to put on the wood and iron ut
sci per lineal foot Sl5, 80 The piers cost about
bankment, dc. After the pier went out the stock
was watered to the amount of $4,000, or nearly
Onc-fourth making it cost S44 600. But this cN-
ira expense of $4,000 should have nothing to do
with the consideration of building a new bridge.
1t should, of course, be charged to account OF
profit and loss and have nothing TO do with what
the bridge is now worth. Then, at those figures,
the piers and approaches would be worth SlS,?jO
10 the people towards the new bridge Allowing
it to last one or two years longer would be worth
tbn init IA N
would be l,515 per year. One year, | think. is
as LONG as it will be considered safe. Then, ut
these figures the bridge is worth to the people,
one year or until new bridge is built, Sl9,S2J,
and allow the Bridge Company to take the bridge
at the end of the year. At the time the bridge
was first built times were hard and doubt If 1t
could be built any cheaper now.
The watercd stock of the bridge Of S5O0is equal
to S3sG.33 of the genuine stock.
For the Utica Bridge:
Brucc's bid for piers and abutmcnts, was SIG.
622; BARRIERS, of Marseilcs, Sl6, 800, At Utica
the water is 3 feet deep, while at Ottawa it is
from TO feet deep. There were about fifteen
different bidders, and their bids averaged about
SD per linea foot for the long spans of $50 feet
At this rate the iron part of the Ottawa bridge or
all above the piers, would cost SlS,75O.
Mr.. Ebcrso offered the following resolution,
which was adopted
Resolyyd, That it is the sense Of thi, meeting
that we purchase the present bridge at Il reason
able price and that committee Of three, consist
ing Of Mcssrs. Nicholson, Pickcns and Kirkpat
rick, be appointed to confer with the Bridge Com
pany and ascertain the lowest sum said bridge
can be purchased for.
The following resolution, offered by Mr.. Mills,
was adopted:
R,soiIcd That the sense Of this meeting is that
the Commissioners Of Highways Of the Towns of
Ottawa and South Ottawa should immediately
take lii necessary steps to build new bridge over
the Illinois at Ottawa or to purchase the present
one, and, If necessary, to call a special town
meeting to vote the necessary funds in time for
the tax OF 1874 and also to free the gravel road.
BY this latter resolution it will be seen that
while the tOwns'south are anxious for the free
bridge, they do not propose, AS towns, to assist
in its construction, an idea not at all relished by
our Ottawa Commissioners who thought that
these towns have sufficient interest in the matter
to assist in some way. Perhaps they are right
yet our Commissioners must throw cold water on
the scheme Of freeing the bridge because outside
towns will not assist in the building as towns,
the individual residents Of which are not slow in
making private subscriptions for the purpose.
The meeting adjourned subject to call by Mr.
{. $. Phelps, Chairman.
The petition, by the way to the Board Of Su-
pcrisors TO make IN appropriation for this OBJ
icct, on the grounds for signers at the Old Set
tiers picnic, received large addition Of names
from all parts Of the county, how many We did
not learn