Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-31
BRIDGING THE RIVER.

BRIDGING THE RIVER.
Reports of Engineers to the City Council
Giving Plans and Cost-New Precinct In
the Sixth Ward.
Last evening the city council held special
meeting for the purpose OF hearing reports OF
the engineers in regard to the location of the
proposed bridge across the Mississippi river
in front of the city.
THE ENGINEERS REPORT.
Mr.. Rundlett, city engineer, and H. E. Hor-
ton made quite long report Of which the
following is an abstract
Messrs. Rundlett and Horton report that
they for the purpose of determining the loca-
ton of the bridge have examined the require
ments of the United States government for
bridging rivers, the matter OF obstructing
navigation, &c. DC, and are unanimously In
favor of high fixed bridge, and recommend
Robert street as the location commencing at
Third street and extending to the levee line at
Lucas street in the Sixth ward. They also
send plans for high fixed bridge at the foot
Jackson street, in favor of which minority
of the engineers report Broadway for various
reasons appeared the most desirable, but q
bridge there would have to commence at
Fourth street, which would increase the
| length, 1t must be draw bridge because
the necessary height of fifty feet required by
United States government cannot be obtained
without too steep gradients, and it
would require piles so near the levee as to
ipjure the harbOr. The objections to bridge
at Sibley street are similar. It would interfere
with the business Of Sthe. street to
the Union depot, to the freight depot and to
the steamboat docks. These objections pre-
clude the idea of bridge at that point. At
ist in regard to the railroad tracks,
besides the impracticability OF landing
a bridge on street grade of eleven feet to the
hundred. They are of the opinion that o
draw bridge is improbable at any Of the
sites named for reasons other than those given.
The cost ID greater than that of high bridge
Its maintenance is source of constant ex-
pense. The dread is piece of machinery Ii
able to arrangement. and an annoyance to
to traffic and general OBJ.
struction to navigation. Minnesota street
is a practical location for high bridge, as far
the structure is concerned, but it would be
necessary to start from Second street, where it
would connect with an eight-foot grade on
Second street and nine-foot grade on Mime.
sofa street. Robert and Jackson have facilities
length, twenty feet being in favor of Robert
street. A bridge on Robert has the advantage
of q nearly level grade from Third
street to the end of tina channel span, dis
lance of 700 feet, of being at right angles to
the currents of the river, and of less damage
to property. A bridge at jackson commenc-
ing at Third street has the advantage of being
at a greater distance from the present bridge,
and nearer the business centre and the rail-
| dam he al In uuip 10 do
scription of the bridge. Commencing at
Third on the center of Robert, an approach
of masonry nineteen feet wide, extends
100 feet towards the river. The
sidewalks are to be continued along the prop
erty line until sufficient head room is obtained
to cross to the bridge on each side OF the ma
sorry. On each side OF the masonry 8 space
thirteen feet is left for sidew and roadway,
to accommodate the travel on Robert street.
From the end of the masonry the structure is
wrought iron, being a trestle bridge to the
south line of Second street, and a
succession of truss spans supported by
stone piers on pile foundations ending with o
stone abatement on Lucas street, The width
of the roadway of the bridge in the clear is
eighteen feet, with six and eight foot side.
walks. The elevation of Third street will be
will run nearly level to the end Of the channel
span, which will be fifty feet in the clear
above high water mark. At that point the
grade descends at the rate of three and one
half feet per hundred The to-
tai length OF the bridge is 1861
feet, which is little shorter than the present
bridge, while the heaviest grade will be one
and one-half feet per hundred less than that
bridge, and practicable for a street car line,
being one-half foot per hundred less than the
grade of Fourth street from Wabashaw street
| to Minnesota street. The jackson street
structure, as proposed by the minority, is of a
! similar character and design. To get the
necessary width on Third street, it will be
necessary to condemn the six feet between the
street line and the buildings on the east side of
jackson street for distance of about ninety
feet. The grade commences IS feet above
high water mark at Third street, and rises
with a grade of three and one half feet per
hundred. The cost will be, for foundation,
$4,000; masonry, $4,000; superstructure,
| $4,000; incidental and contingent expenses,
SIS 900; making total Of $4,000.
| THE MINORITY REPORT.
Mr.. Marion, the third engineer, made a
minority report in which he agrees to pretty
much all the majority report says except as
to location. He prefers jackson street and
! gives his reason. Both reports were referred
tothe committee on roads and bridges.
| MORE PRECINCTS.
An ordinance was adopted creating two
voting precincts in West st. Paul and giving
the boundaries of each. Thfs being all the
business the council adjourned.
| Held to the Grand Jury,
Geo. Hudson arrested Monday last for con-
nection with larceny of some clothing and
$500 from the boarding house of J.. W. Ruth
| arf0rd Cedar eereEf had hic Y,rolirninaru o,r