The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-06-25
The BIG BRIDGE.
An Object Lesson to Brooklyn People
of the Vanity of All Earthly Hopes.


of the Vanity of All Earthly Hopes.
ST have been told" said the Brooklyn
man, shat Mr.. Martin, the chief engi-
neer of the bridge, studied for the min
istry once. I 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 to
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 flavor that clings about
it. People used to think that the bridge
was built to take people home to Brook
Ign 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 SO man for the place. Do
you see how nicely the facts fit this
theory? Thus, course in engineering
would 1T man better than theOlog-
ical education to run big bridge thas
was merely bridge; but on the other
hand, you would expect frequent break
downs on a big bridge managed by a
former theological student intent on
the spiritual regeneration of his fellows
men.
''Fhe moral lesson of the bridge? Oh,
that is plain enough. Go down to Full
ton ferry, Brooklyn side, and look up.
bridge. 1t suggests the straight and
narrow path. 1t also suggests that tho
best way to use the bridge, if you are
! not seeking moral lessons, is to take
the 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.
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
wnen hope was brightest they blasted
| it by removing the elevator. No, 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 tho
! platform at night that the good time
was coming when there would be plenty
of cars and no crowding. Well, the inn
provements are all finished and the
crowding is just as bad as ever / be-
lieve they pretend there is Is seconds
| less Roadway between trains; but the
cars are the same old sardine boxes.
No, it is impossible to avoid the conclu-
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."-N. Y. Sun.