The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-24
THE INITIAL STEP TAKEN,
ARMY ENGINEERS HERE TO LOOK
AFTER THE PROPOSED BRIDGE.
Lieut. Col. Merrill Presents Birds EYED
View Of the Duties Devolving Upon
the Board--Duration OF Their visit
Contingent Upon Interested People.

The initial step looking to the construc.
ton OF the long wished for bridge at this
point will be taken this morning As ID
well known, preliminary to every such
work when the general government has a
voice, an advisory board Of civil engineera|
detailed by the Secretary Of War has to first
pass upon the plans and specifications and
upon the location Of the bridge. Tha|
advisory board, with Lieut.. Col. VIM.
i. Merrill, stationed at Cincinnati, as|
chief; Maj. Oswald II. Ernst, OF Galveston,
Tex; Capt. Dan @. Kingman, Of New Or
leans, and Lieut.. Cassius f. Gillette, of
Cincinnati, as recorder, arrived last night
and registered at the Gayoso hotel. They
will open their session this morning at l0|
o'clock in the Office Of Capt Rozelle, No.
280 Front street.
Col. Merrill is most pleasant GENTLE
man, and stands high in bis professional
He has been stationed at Cincinnati for|
twenty years, and has had charge Of the|
engineering department OF the Ohio. Hell
had charge Of the gauge system Of the Mis-
sissippi river f0r three years. and estab-|
lished the gauge here. This is his first
visit to the city since 1873, and he flatter-
ingly remarked upon the magnificent im-|
provement the city has made since then.|
His colleagues ON the board and Lieut.
Gillette are all gentlemen eminent In 80
| cial and army circles.
Col. Merrill, in answer to the inqujry|
| from an APPEAL reporter, said:
81 have just reached here, and as ouI|
board has not had any session cannot give|
you any information. In fact, there ID
none to give, further than to say that ouI|
duties are to hear suggestions pro and cor|
upon the plan OF construction of thd|
bridge. For this purpose We gavd|
due notice by publication in papen
OF Cincinnati, Pittsburg, LouisyilleI
New Orleans and this city a. ID
the date Of our meeting, and in
viting all who wished to appear before thd
board to do 80. The board has nothing I'd
do with the kind OF bridge that Is con
structed The points which we are TO pas
upon are as TO the spans, hight, Location
and accessory work. While We have 4
great deal OF latitude as 10 all OF thess
matters, We are TO be guided by the proyi
sions OF the act OF Congress creating
the measure. This and the detailed In |
structions from the chief OF EN-
ginecrS oil the war department
Is all the information we have so lar. Two
things are already settled by the act o
Congress, and they are that the hight 81
the bridge must be seventy-iye feet abov,
high water mark, and that the spans mus
be 700 feet In the reach. The location 81
the bridge is an important fact in the wa
OF navigation, that we will have 20 thor
oughly look into. OF course the navieaI
ton laws are what we must look after, bu |
at the same time II is our duty 10 consul
the convenience OF the city as much ~ ",
consistently can in its location. The acI
ccssory work 10 the bridge is another imI
portant branch Of our investigation.
"As 10 how long we will be here, CAM
not tell. That all depends upon the NUM-
Der OF gentlemen who wish TO appear lei
fore the board and the length OF the SUD
gcstions they have 10 make for and agains|
the special points Of construction which
are within the purview OF our authority
We may get through IN a fcNs-dsys, and
we may not. Asto the points Of observs
ton We have 10 make personally, and III
drawing Of the report, that will be a mat
ter Of very short time"