Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-10-11
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THE BRIDGE AGAIN.

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water bridge, which had been received
from Portland, one at S37 900 and the
other at SIS, 900, were both rejected, be-
cause they exceeded the corporate limits
Of the city to pay by giving bonds, and
for another prominent reason, and that
was that the lowest bid was considered
too exorbitant price for the work pro-
posed. Another proposal was telegraphed
from the San Francisco bridge company
last week, since the rejection by the coun-
Gil, Of the others, to the effect that they
will build seven span bridge, each span
$50 feet between piers, Smith Truss pat
tern, with 20 foot pivot draw, for the
sum Of $40, 900, or make a Howe Truss
bridge, Of same dimensions, for $4,000.
About the time of the receipt of this dis
patch, assistant engineer Eastwick OF the
U. s. harbor and river surveys, informed
the council that he had orders from his
chief, Capt. Powell, to investigate the
plans for the building of this bridge, and
its location in reference to the crossing
the channel Of the stream and where the
draw was to be placed and report to him.
Accordingly Mr.. Eastwick met the couu-
Gil in session on Saturday evening, and
presented his authority in the matter and
made suggestions, such as he thought
proper in regard to the crossing of the
channel which would be most likely to
receive the approval Of the secretary of
war, whose approval must be had in re-
gard to bridging navigable streams. The
whole matter was then left to the finance
committee, to pursue, under the circum-
stances, the best course to secure the
building Of the bridge in the most salts
factory place TO meet the requirements of
the government, and to build with econo-
my, and if found expedient to make a
survey Of the ground aud map it SO that
the whole could be properly represented
to the government at Washington upon
the sworn affidavit of competent sur
veyor. The matter was left in that
shape and the council adjourned. Now
this matter rests with the finance com.
mittee and if they don't act promptly,
they will be at fault. The facts are now
developed that we can have the bridge at
a cost within the corporate limits of the
city, and the people have, months ago
called upon the city authorities to go to
that extent, authorized by the charter,
and have the bridge built and the city
council have left it to finance committee
Of three, to act in the premises, and we
shall look for that committee to act
promptly or throw up the sponge and let
others be appointed who will. This
whole bridge matter has been tardily at
tended to by somebody, The tax payers
have urged the matter months ago by pc
tition. The council has received the pc
tition and adopted it, by resolution, to
build, and this resolution has been pub,
lished abroad and the people north of the
river, as well as those this side, have put
faith in this promise Of the city and We
don't like to see so much delay in bring
ing matters TO working condition. The
condition of the river was never better
for the work than during the present sea-
son, and that of the summer past. We
don't want the people north to taunt us
every week with the statement that the
promise to build was only an electioneer-
ing dodge to catch votes of the people of
he north, which they do, both in their
and in private conversation,
when, in fact, the taxpayers who signed
he petition for the bridge did SO in dead
'arnest, because they wanted a bridge,