The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-06
THE CONNECTING SPAN.
between the second and the Fifth
wards ut MN street.

Wards Mt mn street.
II is expected tina; by January Is the new
city bridge across Buffalo bayou. allowing
communication between the Second and
Fifth wards. will be ready for travel and
preparations will be made for a grand cele-
braticn on the opening day. II the council
accepts the structure as being in conpli
ance with the plans and specifications gov
erning the contract let 20 the New Column
bus Bridge company
This bridge is needed probably as bad
as any highway span tina, has ever been
erected In this city. As 1t has been IN the
past. there is no communication between
The Fifth and Second wards further east
than the bridge at San Jacinto street. This
Is inconven,ent. There are business houses
and residents TO the farther limits ot the
Fifth ward, and the same condition oh
tains in the Second ward. There are a
great many times when communication he
tween them is necessary, and a great deaf
OF time was lest IN making the crossing OF
the bayou at the san Jacinto street bridge
Business men from the main portion Of The
city, delivery wagons and others who had
calls TO make In the Second ward and thu
Firth ward. would lose a great deal OF
N-t-AN sAl NRADAihe tAC ulSkaltF lIhNtltA ~
coming back 10 San Jacinto stree; to make
the crossing. Another point is that II tn re-
is communication in the lower part az the
two warts fire alarms from the farther
eastern limits Of the Fifth ward could he
answered by company No. 10, from the Sec
ond ward, with n great deal more DIS.
patch than e' present. Chief Ravell has
his districts cxceilentiy arranged but the
iarthest iirllts OF the Fifth war,l have al
ways been difficult to cover with the dis
patch that is characteristic OF the present
paid department
These matters we're taken into consiiera-
tinn hy the former city council and the late
city ongi-eer Mr. 6, VI. LaNoue, was in
sirucfed TO draw plans for a bridge to pan
the bayou at Hill street from the Fifth
ward side, and Marsh street from the Sec
oud ward side Under the Instructions If
Nr La\oue the present city engineer Mr..
=. 4. Guoriuger, drew the plans and Sneci-
ica'ions. and when completed bids wee
asked and tie contract LEI to the New Co
lumbus Bridge company. Work commenced
IN January, 1895. and proceeded about one
month. when stoppagc was ordered and
the city administration changed without
more progress being made. Under the al
ministratiou OF Mayor Baldwin Rice work
was rcsu1od in July last and has contin
uei without cessation. until now the struc,-
ure is almost completed; in fact all has
been done except laying the floor and put
ting in the approaches.
\ writer FOR The Post visited the size Of
the bridge yesterday and saw the nam
moth structure that will be roadway for
the citizens Of Houston who desire TO cross
Buffalo bayou. The southern approach is
al the terminus of Marsh street, within a
few blocks of the Franklin avenue car lire
while the northern approach is at HUI
street. in close proximity to the Cleveland
press. When completed it Will have cost
the city $50 coo will weigh 400 900 pounds
and will be the second longest highway
draw span in the United States. The
structure was put together up and down
the bayou That Is. false work. or seat
folding was erected along the southern bank
OF the bayou and the bridge put together
on this scafiolding and then swung across
the stream,
The center or swinging pier is on the
southern bank Of the bayou is of brick
capped with stone, 80 feet in diameter at
the top and % feet in diameter at the bot
tom. II is 80 feet in helghth. There is n
brick pier on the north side which Is II
feet high. 36 feet long and 6la feet wide at
the top. &c feet long and II feet wide at
The bottom The pier on the south side is
q feet high 80 feet long at the top and
30 feet long at the bottom Below the stone
coping the pier is feet vide. The strict
IRE mainly rests upon the center nr swing
ing pier The overhead truss is 80 feet in
height and the floor line OF the bridge is 40
feet above the bayou The roadway is -
feet in width and the Sidewalks are 6ia feet
each in width The span, and there is only
one, is 800 feet long
The above is good description NJ the
new bridge. 1t is as complete and fine an
iron bridge as there is IN Texas, and will
last the city great many years. The n
vcstmout is good one. and city Ensin n
Gueringer deserves credit for the success
ful cnmDlcIion OF tho work