Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-08-02
The Big Bridge at MINNEAPOLIS,

The Big Bridge at Minneapolis.
Engineering skill has finally overcome
! the obstacles which for nearly year
/ have blocked the completion ofthe stone
arch bridge over the Mississippi riv-
er at the foot of ST. Anthony's falls. 1t
will be remembered that the builders of
the bridge, after spending $50. 900, were
| compelled to suspend work altogether,
it being found impossible to keep out
/ the water. The plan finally adopted
was to build huge caiSson of iron en-
tirely around the proposed pier, and,
! by means of pile-driyers, force it down
! through the sand-rock so the limestone
ledge below The work was intrusted
to Col. Glenn, of this city, who COM
menced operations several weeks since,
and has pushed it with his usual yigor.
! The size of the caissOn is thirtv-two feet
in length by fifteen in width, constructed
| of boiler-irOn of One-quarter inch thick
ness. 1t has been made in sections of
four feet in height, each one being driv-
en- in by pile-driyerS as stated above
| The total height is twenty feet, ten feet
! of which has been forced into the rock.
The water inside is now perfectly still,
which indicates that the hidden streams
which troubled the builders last winter
have been entirely shut off. Pumps will
be put on at once and the pier laid soon
as possible. The eastern end of the
bridge has received its final finish
! for some distance out, and track has
been laid as far as pier eight. With the
central pier constructed it is probable
that the ears will be running over the
great structure before 1884 shall have
dawned. So. Paul Pioneer Press.
Who is He.
There will probably come quiet,
well-mannered gentleman to Saratoga
this year, who has spent 4 few weeks
there every season for ten years past.
lie is modest, unaSSuming visitor, who
| is welcomed every year by the same cir
Gle of guests, enjoys himself as the rest
do, and departs to his business. The
other eleven months of the year he sits
on bench and makes ladies' fine boots.
| He has two lives, in fact His COM
rades in his working days think they
know all about him, and the people who
| receive him into their circle at Sarato-
ga do not realize that they know moth
ing about him. They see him reappear
every season. He is always the same.
Il little old fashioned, but polished in
manners, ard very usually intelligent
| in mind. He never presumes. He
| speaks of himself but rarely. He is a
charming escort, is attentive to all the
ladies in u way that compromises Meth
er them nor himself.
But for eleven months in the year he
works upon such dainty boots as encase
their feet. Such as his life is it came
about naturally, and he will never seek
to alter it. His father was a village
! shoemaker before him, quiet man of
many thoughts, one of the old type of
| philosophers who were Indifferent to the
world, and asked only food and clothes
and leisure for contemplation. The son
was like the father, excepting that he
took to reading and developed fine in
| tellectual interest in the affairs OF the
world. He wished to see society, but
to have place in it himself was no am
bition of his, though from quick percep-
| ton he was able to take on the manners
of gentleman. At Saratoga, by not
appearing to need anyone, he could be
accepted in more than one circle, and
came to know personally all the i'm
| portant men who move our national in
terests in commerce, politics and rail
way communications. He asked no
| favors, made no claims, borrowed no
mans money, made love to no wom-
ans daughter. He made no mystery of
| himself, and attracted no remark. Once
he was asked if he was in business, and
he calmly replied that he was in the
| boot and shoe trade in not large way.
| At home he works at his bench with
skillful hands and with thoughts upon his
books or the people he knows, or the
larger interests of humanity. He earns
as much as any man can at that trade,
and he spends nothing in supertiuities
| till his one month OfYacatiOn, and moth
ing upon dissi pations at any time. A
man may get on with very little if he is
unmarried and philosopher. When
| he leaves his work he spends his even
| ings as Machiaveli spent his in exile.
After bath and change of garments
he takes up book and enters into the
company of the best minds of all ages.
| We do not realize of what strange at
oms humanity is composed. Around
| the corner, in our own house, are lives
which would seem incredible to us
should we know them, and would be
impossible to us should we try to imi-
tate them. The strange man at Sarato-
ga is no invention. He lives. He was
there last year. He will be there this
year, and his dress coat of old fashioned
cut will seem proper to him and suit
able to the occasion. He will appear
what he is, quiet man, pleasant talk
er, rather scholarly old fogyish kind
of a gentleman. But he is a shoemaker
| for all that.-BOStO11 Courier.
''Gracious, Sybilla, howCount Cham
pignon sneezes; he is unaccustomed to
our climate; 90 and tell him to come away
from that window The count was a
delicate-looking little fellow, with an
| of oapilla,v doc