The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-07-08
THE BIG BRIDGE.

of the Vanity Of All Earthly Hopes.
II have been told" said the Brooklyn
man, ''that Mr.. Martin, the chief engi.
neer of the bridge, studied for the min.
istry once. don't suppose that this is
really true. Most things you hear
about the bridge are not true. For in.
stance, there is that story that some.
thing is going to be done sometime tc
relieve the crush of travel during the
rush hours. Of course, no sensible man
would believe such story now; and
anyone who would pay attention to it
doesn't deserve any better fate than
to have to cross the bridge daily at six
p. m. That's the way with about every.
thing you hear about the bridge; there
isn't word of truth in it.
''But the reason mention the story
about the early religious training OF
Mr.. Martin is that it is characteristic
of the true purpose of the bridge and
of the religious favor that clings about
it. People used to think that the bridge
was built to take people home to Brook
1yn or to enable them to get away from
Brooklyn. Since it was discovered that
this idea was all wrong and that it
wasn't meant for any such thing, some
people, have never been able to under.
stand it. The truth. is that the bridge
is intended as a great moral lesson;
and Mr.. Martins early religious edu-
cation, if he ever had any, would make
him just the man for the place. Do
you see how nicely the facts fit this
theory? Thus, course in engineering
would fit a man better than theolog-
ical education to run big bridge that
was merely bridge; but on the other
hand, you would expect frequent break
downs on big bridge managed by a
former theological student intent on
the spiritual regeneration of his fellow
men.
'The moral lesson of the bridge? Oh,
that is plain enough. Go down to Full
ton ferry, Brooklyn side, and look up.
There you get the best view of the
bridge. It suggests the straight and
narrow path. It also suggests that the
best way to use the bridge, if you are
not seeking moral lessons, is to take
tho ferry. The moral pointed out by
the bridge is the vanity Of all earthly
hopes. Did you see that the trustees
took out that elevator the other day i?
Well, that was part of the moral lesson.
They left it there long enough for
everybody to see it and get an idea
that some day he wouldn't have to walk
up all these steps to the cars; and then
when hope was brightest they blasted
it by removing the elevator. No, 1 don't
believe that it was done of malice and
pure cussedness and desire to tease
Brooklyn people. The intention was
simply to chasten and subdue the spirit.
1t was simply in line with the so-called
improvements on the bridge. The work
was dragged along for two or three
years and everybody kept telling his
neighbors in the scrimmage on the
platform at night that the good time
was coming when there would be plenty
of cars and no crowding. Well, the i'm
provements are all finished and the
crowding is just as bad as ever. be-
ieve they pretend there is IS seconds
less Roadway between trains; but tho
cars are the same old sardine boxes.
No, it is impossible to avoid the conelu-
sion that the bridge is intended to
teach Brooklyn people that in this
world disappointments are alone GER
tain and that earthly hopes are vain;
and Mr.. Martin is apparently just the
man for superintendent, even if it is
not true that he once studied for the
ministry Y. Sun. s.@@