The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-03-05
THE NEW BRIDGE-A DETAIL.
ED ACCOUNT Of THIS ELE-
CANT STRECTURE,

Upon the completion of this structure
a brief review Of the enterprise will
not he out Of place. Mankato has felt
! for years the necessity of some better
facility of communication with our
ncighbors in Nicollet county, than the
slow and uncertain ferry; but although
the bridge project was agitated at diff
ferent times, il WAS not until last spring
that our council found tho funds provid-
ed, and action warranted. The county
had voted 81 900 in bonds. the city .$l5,
600, and the town of Belgrade $4,000,
making total of S2S,500. Although
the people by their vote had designated
the site nj the foot Of Main street,
it WAS the lust one an engineer would
select, and long discussion followed up
on location. some favoring re-submit-
ting the question to the people. But
there were legal difficulties in the way.
and il was found that unless the bridge
was built Al the foot Of Main street, the
bonds voted, could not he used. A |
meeting of the citizens was called May
-, at the Opera House, TO consider the
matter, aud the result of this meeting |
showed that our people wanted the
bridge, and wanted it al Main street, |
even though it might be expensive. Pre-
'ious To this meeting, the city engineer
had opened correspondence with the
BRUCE companies, and through this, Mr..
Jones, the contracting agent al the
Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Can
ton, Ohio, arrived, rs it happened just
in time 10 attend this meeting Tie look
ed into the matter, and seeing that s2S,
500 must build the bridge or it would
no, be built, formally proposed 10 the
council TO erect bridge approaches, and
dixie as per plans. for this sum. in bonds
Us voted. at par. This Was accepted,
with the modification that the council
might call for bids on the substructurc.
that our home contractors might have a
chance. Mr.. Jones agreeing 10 do the
work il others would not. Nothing
satisfactory to the council, or III fact 10
any one else, resulted from the move
ment, and the contract wac given on
the 10th of July, to Messrs. Hammond
an AllAA,f nf hn NJ ia |
Wrought Iron Bridge Company, for the
substructure, approaches and dixie at
Sli,1OO, the company already having
the contract for superstructure at sl3,-
700, under date OF May Slst. This con-
tract was transferred by them, TO theii
agent G. Z. Jones, and 10y him to Messrs.
Farrell and White, Of Mason City, Iowa,
who commenced work Oct. LIST, and COM
pleted their job to the entire satisfaction
of the council, few days before Christ
mas. The bridge was to nave swing
span of $50 feet on this side of the river,
with strength Of / 500 pounds per foot,
and three fixed spans of 10 feet each,
TO carry 1900 pounds per foot. Before
work commenced il was found that GER
tain changes would have TO be made to
meet the requirements of State law, TO
protect navigation on the Minnesota
river, and accordingly the swing span
Was leangtheped and placed on the
Nicollet side of the river. and a CORES
ponding change made in the position OF
the dixie To throw the main channel TO
the same side.
Under proposition made by the con
tractors, Aug. Eth, the length of the
swing span was increased to 1872 feet,
and two fixed spans OF 90 feet each, ac-
cepted in lieu Of three shorter ones. The
style is what is called the double inter
section truss, with - feet road way. and
capable Of sustaining rolling load OF
800 pounds per linear foot The two
fixed spans are 1913 feet, OH lower
chord pins, % feet depth from centers,
II panels, with bridge weight Of ESQ
pounds per linear foot. Tho swing has
10 panels, same depth, and bridge
weight 76O pounds per linear foot. Ex-
IRENE length of bridge and approaches.
$40 iee,. This is the bridge which to-
day spans the river in front of our city,
II credit to the old reliable company
which built it, and a monument 10 the
public spirit Of our people who inaug-
Grated the enterprise and pushed ii for