Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-23
FORT SMELLING BRIDGE.

The Work Complete and Accepted-COm-
plying With Legal Formalities-The For
felt Of the Builders.
A regular meeting of the Fort Smelling
bridge commission was held in the auditors
Office, yesterday forenoon. Mayor Dawson
presided and all the members were in attend
ance.
Mr.. Cochran explained that a telegram had
been received from the secretary of war inform
ing the commission that no action could be
taken by the government with regard to the
appropriation until evidence had Leen submit
ted that the bridge had been irrevocably dedi.
Gated to the United States as q free and public
highway. Pursuant to this appropriate meas
ures had been taken to procure final action on
the above and the commission temporarily ad-
journed to bring the subject before the county
board.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING.
As special meeting Of the county board had
been called, and all the members thereof were
present, the roll was called and upon taking
| the chair Mr.. Dawson was the recipient of the
following communication:
Hon. William Dawson, Chairman of County
Commissioners:
DEAR S1R-The Fort Smelling bridge GEM
missioners received last week telegram from
Hon. Alex. Ramsey, secretary of war. OF which
| the following is an extract: I'VE must also
have evidence of the legislation for the IL
| revocable dedication OF the bridge as a public
| highway free to the United States and all the
people thereof" Upon receipt of the telegram
the bridge commissioners held an official meet
| ing and passed a resolution, a certified copy of
which is herein enclosed, turning over the
bridge to your honorable body. Early action,
such as may be necessary to furnish the war
department with the evidence of dedication to
| the public, will facilitate the payment to the
| com mission of the Congressional appropriation.
Respectfully, THoS. COCHRAN, JR.,
Secretary of Commission.
County Attorney Eagan prepared the follow
ing resolution, which was presented by Mr..
Cochran:
WHEREAS, Under and pursuant to special
act of the legislature of the State of Mime
sofa, entitled IAN act to authorize and pro-
vide for the construction of free bridge across
the Mississippi river, at or near Fort Smelling,
and to lay out suitable roads thereto" approved
March I'd, 1876 as the same is amended by
special act of said legislature, approved Febru-
| ary 23d, 1878. we. the commissioners named in
| said act of February 2Sd, 1878, have fully COM
pleted said bridge, and constructed the same
over the Mississippi river, at near Fort Smell
ling and the said bridge is in all respects fin
ished, open to the travel, and irrevocably dedi-
Gated to the public, and free to the United
States of America and all the people thereof;
therefore.
RESOLVED, That the said bridge be, and is
here by surrendered to the county commits
| sioners of the county of Ramsey.
THos. COCHRAN, JR., Secretary.
! After preamble similar to the above the
| county commissioners passed the following res
olution:
Resolued, That the said bridge be and is here
| by accepted and the same shall be and is here
by considered in charge of said Ramsey county
for repair, maintenance and protection or 9TH
erwise and forever free of any toll or charge to
the United States or any citizen thereof or
| other person, and the said county of Ramsey
does hereby irrevocahly dedicate said bridge to
the public free, to the United States of Ameri-
| ca and all the people thereof, and hereby &C.
cepts tho same subject to the conditions and
provisions contained in an act of the Congress
| of the United States entitled IAN act making
Appropriation for sundry civil expenses of the
government for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1870, and for other purposes, approvedlJune 20,
| 1878, whereby the sum of $65, 900 was appro-
priated to aid In the construction of
a free wagon bridge across the
Mississippi river at or near Fort Smelling, and
covenants and binds itself to forever keep in
good order, and repair said bridge, and that
| the United States shall never be liable to any
expense in the maintenance or repair of said
bridge.
BRIDGE COMMISSION.
After the adoptionon of the above the
board adjourned, and the bridge commission
reassembled, transacting the following bust.
| ness:
| communication was submitted by county
attorney Eagan regarding the payment of a
penalty by the bridge contractors of $25 per
day tor each day the superstructure remained
unfinished after September LIST, 1879. In ex-
pressing his opinion upon the subject County
Attorney Eagan reviewed the conditions of the
contract, and held that in case the failure to
complete the bridge by September LIST was ow'
ing to failure on the part Of the government
to adopt the plans the penalty specified is not
collectable, otherwise it could be collect d.
The causes of negligence were canvassed at
length and Mr.. Eagan advised that the COM
mission arrive at result from the facts within
| their knowledge. The communication was
ordered placed on file.
A bill of $233.9S was submitted by Horton d
| Co. for interest, protest fees and legal ex-
penses, arising from the mandsmus case
against County Treasurer Rice. On motion,
the bill was allowed.
A bill of $16 from the same firm, for ex-
penses in obtaining Judgment against the
county treasurer, was referred to Messrs.
Cochran and Lindeke, to report at the next
meeting.
The question of extending road from the
bridge through Richfeld to Minnetonka town.
ship, was taken up for consideration, and on
motion, it was decided that the commission
should meet the parties interested at the bridge,
at 2:30 o'clock next Monday afternoon. Ad-
iourned.
urrc r0rDr,c