Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-10
Il BRIDGE DETENTION.

Travel Over tho Wabashaw Street Bridge
Interrupted Yesterday-The Necessity
for an Extra Bridge Strikingly Iuustra-
ted.
The supreme folly of having but one
bridge connecting the Sixth ward with the
remainder of the city was strikingly illus
trated yesterday, when for an hour in the
morning even pedestrians were stopped
from passage, while vehicles of all kinds
were held back until nearly 10 o'clock in
the forenoon. This is but a foretaste of
an interruption that is liable to occur at
any moment and be continued for weeks,
the very thought of which, in view of the
great inconvenience as we'll
as loss incurred by the
brief detention yesterday, ought
to make the howlers who succeeded in de-
featinS the plan for another bridge after
it had been endorsed by the people through
the ballot box, feel like going into some
back alley and kicking themselves to
death.
The interruption yesterday was caused
by one of the temporary supports of the
first wooden span south from the iron span
being carried away by the ice. The break
was promptly reported to City Engineer
Somers, and at $50 a. IN. himself and as
sistants were at the scene and all passage
was stopped until thorough examination
of the condition of the span as to its safety
could be made. Though pedestrians were
only stopped for little more than an hour,
it is estimated that fully 700 persons were
inconvenience and delayed in getting to
their work, and that during the time it was
closed to the passage of vehicles, between
$50 and 800 teams were held back. Some
of the milkmen packed their fluid over on
their backs, and hired teams on this side
for the distribution of the tactical about
the city. Other teams were returned to
their stables, while others drove around by
way of Fort Smelling, about a twelve mile
drive. But with the rapidly rising
river, this means of reaching this side
of the river,by way of Fl Smelling will soon
be cut off and then it will sbe drive around
by Hastings, or, stay at home.
Engineer Somers says the span did not
settle any after the Istay was knocked out,
and he is hopeful that no more serious
damage or inconvenience than that al
ready experienced Will occur. Mr.. Wag
ner, foreman for the Missouri Valley Iron
s. Bridge company, which has the con-
tract for replacing three of the old wooden
spans with iron, arrived yesterday morn
ing and assumed charge of the
structure under the contract which
makes the company responsible
for maintaining uninterrupted travel upon
the bridge after April l. Mr.. Wagner has
already commenced work upon false
frame pier which he expects to have in po-
sition in day or two, by which all danger
of collapse will be removed. In the mean
time close supervision will be main
tanned to prevent any crowding of the
ieopardized spans.
That there might be no misunderstood
ing in tho matter Mr.. Somers yesterday
addressed a letter to the principals of the
, contracting company informing them of
the condition of the bridge, and
notifying them that the responsibility fer
maintaining travel now rests solely with
them, and that they must be the ones to
decide when, if at all, the bridge must be
closed to travel, and when reopened, il
closed. AS the contract seems to be iron
clad, the firm will probably have to suffer
in damages to the city, if the span falls in
or gets so weak as to necessitate the sus-
pension of travel, but how the losses to the
| thousands of laborers who live on the West
side, and also those sustained by our mer-
chanrs and business men generally by the
inability of residents of Dakota county to
get into the city, will be made good does
not so plainly appear.