Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-23
FORT SMELLING BRIDGE.

nleetinS OIL the Chamber of COnmerce--Tho
County Commissioners and Bridge Com
missioners Requested to Send Delega-
ton to Washington.
special meeting of the chamber of COM
merce was held yesterday morning to con-
slider the Fort Smelling bridge question.
President Sibley, after calling the meeting
to order, requested Mr.. Cochran, a member
of the bridge commission, to state the object
of the meeting.
MIR. Cochran stated that the meeting was
called to obtain the advice of citizens, and
the chamber was the most convenient means
of reaching them. He explained the situa-
ton as already gxen by the GLOBE, showing
that the commission were apparently unable
to proceed further until something definite
was settled in Congress. The commission
hao autographed to our delegation to know
whether, if they advertised for proposals for
the abutments it would interfere with Con
gressional action and received the following
| reply:
| WASHINGTON, D. c., May 81, 1878.
| To Thos Cochran, Jr.:
After consultation, we think it may be inju-
rious to advertise for bids. Right of way must
| be granted by Congress.
81 R. MCMILLAN
j. II. STEWART.
Mr.. Cochran also read the following letter
| which he had received:
| WASHINGTON, May IT, 1S79-SIR-By direction
of Hon. s. J. r. Mcmillan, herewith enclose
a copy Of bill prepared by him in relation to
| the building of a bridge across the Mississippi
river at or near Fort Smelling. and 'appropria-
| ting slxty-tive thousand dollars therefor It is
customary, where the government makes large
| appropriations for such purposes, to retain the
control of the erection and disbursement of
| funds IN its own officers, and he has drawn the
| bill accordingly.
| izing Ramsey county to issue bonds for the
building Of said bridge. He has seen copy
of the bill introduced by Mr.. Mead, but is not
informed whether it became law in that form
or not.
| He wishes you to examine the enclosed bill
| personally, and also to submit it to Mr.. Horn
| or Mr. Blgelow, for their consideration
with the State law authorizing the county to
| issue its bonds, to see whether the county
| could turn over the funds to the secretary of
war, as provided in this bill Should it be
deemed necessary to have any change made.
please inform him as soon as possible. He will
present the bill at the next meeting of the
Senate. 1t may be well for you to send him a
copy of the State law with your reply.
Should it be necessary to change the bill in
any way it will occasion no delay as it can be
done before it is reported to the Senate.
! II.
THos- COCHRAN, Saint Paul Minnesota
He then read the bill introduced by Sen
ator Mcmillan and stated that Mr.. Horn had
given an opinion that McM1llan's bill and
the State Legislature were in direct con-
| f1ict.
MIR. Horn then proceeded at some length
to explain the conflict. The State act of
1876 provides that the bridge shall
be erected under the direction of
| the bridge commission and that they
the commissioners, must disburse the money
This necessitates change in our legislation
If we are to pay the money to the secretary
of war. He suggested that Ramsey county
might build the superstructure and then turn
it over to the general government to COM
plete.
Mr.. Cochran called attention to the pro-
vision of the Mcmillan bill providing that
government will go ahead when the money
is furnished by Ramsey county in excess of
$65,OOO. He wanted to know what guaran-
tee we had that the bridge would not cost
$25O,OOO. We were entirely at the mercy of
the government engineers who did not care
for the amount of expense.
Mr.. Banning thought with proper effort
the entire bridge could have been secured
from the government. He had opposed the
appointment of an engineer, and urged the
sending Of q man to Washington to look
after the matter, and he regretted it had not
been done. He did not believe the passage
OF this bill possible. Some member would
object to the government going into partner
ship with city or county away out West,
and it would be defeated. It ought to have
simply been few lines on the appropriation
bill, giving 100000, or whatever sum was
asked for the bridge. He still thought
some one should be sent to Washington,
and suggested that Mr.. Cochran 90.
Mr.. Cochran said, if for no other reason.
he could not 60 on account of his health.
Gen. Sibley said it would be impracticable
to secure an item in the appropriation bill
unless preliminary survey and estimate of
cost had previously been made. If we I'M
dertook that it would not result in our Sc
curing more than $4,000 for preliminary
survey, and report to the next Congress.
Mr.. Banning stated that he had known
cases where large appropriations had been
made previous to preliminary examinations
Besides, no understood that government en-
gineers had already made estimates and for
warded to the department., so that the obiec
ton raised was obyiated.
Mr.. McClung thought it feasible to change
the provision of McMillan's bill to conform
to our State legislation. Senator McMil-
lan's bill had simply been prepared in igno-
rance of our State legislation.
He favored sending some Gentleman to
Washington, and asked if it was possible to
use some of the money to send delegation
to Washington.
| Mr. Horn being called upon expressed the
opinion that 1t would be legal to use money
from the $500, 900 appropriation to send
1alauotio1, 70 Wacbirptor
Col. Hewitt urged the sending of Capt.
Banning ana Gov. Marshall.
Mr.. Banning declared it absolutely i'm
possible for him to go.
Gov. Marshall thought the suggestion of
delegation to Washington good one. Our
nelghbors at the Falls, under the f1imsy pre-
tence of aiding navigation, had obtained
half million dollars which was as purely to
establish local water power as that at
Lowell. He thought we had a great deal
more ground to ask for this than they did
for the falls. He could not go himself, but
he Thought if Capt. Banning went alone,
with his prodigious energy, he could secure
the appropriation.
Gen. Sibley asked to be excused from
going, and thought Mr.. Rice should not be
asked to leave his present duties. He
thought Capt. Banning was the man of all
others to be sent.
Mr.. W. ?. Murray strongly urged the
sending of Capt. Banning.
Mr.. McClung moved that the county COM
mlssioners and bridge commissioners be re-
quested to meet and send delegation of
one or more to Washington to look after the
matter.
The motion prevailed unanimously, and
the Chamber adjourned.