Omaha daily bee., 1883-12-01
THE MISSOURI SPAWNED.
The Union Pacific Bridge.

me tn1On acme ISrltSe.
The next thing necessary after the
completion of the Union Pacific was the
construction of a bridge ever the Mis-.
souri, river, to connect with the eastern
railroads which had made Council Bluff
their terminus.
The Chicago & Northwestern was the
first road to reach ''maha from the east,
the first train arriving here on Sunday,
January II, 1867. Next came the st.
Joe & Council Bluffs road, now known
rs the Kansas City. st. Joe & Council
Bluffs; the Burlington Il Missouri
now called the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy, and the Chicago & Rock Island,
early in 1868; and then came the Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy, which wa
then called the Burlington & Missouri
G ,nnections with the Union Pacific were
made during the summer by means OF
transfer steamboats,, and during the win
ter the transfer was made over an ice
bridge
The Uaion Pacific bridge was not be-
gun until after the completion of the
road, al ihough the initiatory steps had
been taken in 1866 by getting an act
passed through congress. A fight arose
as to it's location, whether it should he a
low bridge at the telegraph Poles" or
a permanent high bridge down the
river at "Childs' Mills" Council
Bluffs objected to the location at the
T." Telegraph Poles" and both Council
Bluffs and omaha opposed "Childs'
Mills" The location where the bridge
now stands was finally agreed upon,
through the efforts of u committee com
posed of Alvin Saunders, Francis Smith,
Augustus Kountze, Ezra Willard, Enos
Lowe and G. p. Hurfsrd, who went to
New York for that purpose. On March
26, 1868, Mr.. Saunders, chairman of the
committee, telegraphed to Omaha, The
bridge is located at Train Table Oma-
ha pledges the depot grounds and $780,,
600; Council Bluffs pledges $500, 900;
ground and right of way will be con-
demned."
Omaha voted $3.50, 600 in bonds as hid
to the bridge, in consideration that she
should have the main transfer depnts,
general offices, machine shops, etc. Coun-
Gil Bluff. voted $500, 600 in bonds, but
the company never received them.
The Missouri River Bridge company,
an organic ,tion which was claimed to be
an independent institution, although COM
posed Of Union Pacific stockholders. was
organized under authority of a special
act of congress to build the bridge, and
they were authorized tn issue bonds u,
the mount of S2, 800, 900, which bonds
were sold in England.
The Boomer Bridge company. Of Chi
cage, on the 4th of September, 1868, &C.
cured the contract of building the bridge
for 81, O89, 500, the time of it's compile
ton to be November 10. 1869. They
were geeatly delayed, however, and did
not get the first cylinder ready for sink
ing until March, 1869. In July follow
ing the Union Pacific took hold Of the
work, the contract with the Boomer
Bridge company having been annulled.
The structure was completed on the 25th
IF March, 1873. 1t is $3.50 feet long
IL spans of 900 feet each-and is COM
posed entirely of iron The superstruc-
ture is supported by piers, each formed
Of two iron pneumtt tic tubes, sunk in
sections and filled with cement masonry,
each tube being eight and a half feet in
diameter This bddge is said to have
cost 81, $50, 600.