The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-09

wards begged for bridge for many year
Z l-lore II Was al las; decided 10 locate d
a. the point which was visited yesterday
MlnN a hard fought battle has been mao,
~ liaertnt elections on account Of II.
. !leAlioh % this bridge ana perhaps IL wa,
cue 10 part 90 these differences that II,
building Of his bridge was deferred fol
such long time
The bridge is needed probably as bad
as any hishway span tha, has ever been
erected iu ihls city As IL has been In .ne
PAST. there is 10 communication between
o." Fifth and Second wards further east
han ;he bridge az San Jaoiuto street This
is bereavement There are business houses
aud residents 10 the farther limits OF the
Filth ward. and the same condition OBJ
tains IN the Second ward. There are a
great many lines when communication be
tween them Us necessary and great deal
OF time WAS lost in making the crossing VI
the bayou al the san Jaciuto 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 the
| Futh ward. would lose a great deal OF
! time In doubling the distance Travelled BY
coming back TO san Jacuio street to make
the crossing. Another point is that If there
I is communication in the lower part of the
/ two wards. IRE alarms from the farther
eastern limits Of the ffih ward could be
! answered by company No. 10 fro7 he eer-
/ cnd ward. with a great deal more dis
I iairh than at present chef kagel mas
ms districts excelleutly arranged. hut the
I farthest limits OF the Fifth wa<d have nj
I ways been difficult to cover with the dis
/ paich that Is characteristic Of the present
| paid department.
! IhcFc matters were taken into cousid b.
/ GRAFTON by the former city councu and tho
| late city engineer, MIR. q. NJ. LaNc,ie, was
! instructed to draw planA for a bridge IN
NJ
! Fhth ward side. and Marsh street from
! the second ward side. Under the instruc-
| IONS OF MIR LaNoue. MIR l.. A. qucringcr
hreW the plans and specifications aud when
| completed bids were asked and tho contract
! let WORK commenced in January lSgJ.
aud proceeded about one month whom a
stoIpase was ordered aud the city admin
ls'ration changed without moro urorress
being made. Under tho administration OF
Mayor R!co work was resumed in July last
ana has continued without cessation. until
now tho structure is completed.
The southern approach Is at the terminus
/ 81 Marsh street. within a few blocks OF the
Franklin avenue car line. While the nr~th-
I'm api reach is at Hil street in close rrlN-
/ lWi'y 10 the Cleveland pre- Z. Resides the
( mayor ana aldermen there were a large
number Of other officials and citisCns pres-
tni among them being City Engineer l..
Nu"riugcr city Attorney John Stewart.
cry Assessor and Collector Justin White.
street Commissioner Kennedy, Jas. Thomp-
son, Captain VIM Williams. A. Baumbach.
t. H. Gushing. rhici engineer Of tho
southern Pacific, joe Mathcr. agent. " = ,h,,
lhalann Bridge company. by which com.
pany The fine structure was built ana n
largo number OF Indies and gentlemen
mos IS from the two W1rus VINO ytster-
day by this means Joined hands across
bunalo bayou.
The officials were driven out In convey.
ilnI hN afr Nh.
arriving at the bride. entered at once Upon
thelr duttn nf inspecting and testing It's
working The dino used in turning the
bridge was seven minutes, which was con
siatted very short, yet as expressed by
Mr. u II. Cushing. who did the TURNING
II was no real test q; what can be done. "A.
all he work Us now ard consequently stiH
Afer It has been turned for time aud be.
comes well oiled. The time can be shortened
great deal
After the bridge was turned In position
with the w0rlsmon stationed AZ different
points on the ton and side OF the bridge
ana all officials and visitors occupying posi-
tcns along the railing, photograph Il the
bridge was taken by Mr. L. Hartmann
II WAT then time Cor Mr. ice Mathrr 10
show his appreciation Of the prosecute OF NO
large crowd and an acceptable lunrh, with
liduid refreshments and cigars. was Horvod
Several complimentary remarks were
made. hut the one which seemed TO touch
az uiih' WIN H'ilA9 HpnEpNdl WAS hi~ (
fercd by MAYOR II n. Rice Here's to
the bridge. May the streets OF Houston.
nayed In 1881. proved as great success as
is this bridge
The mayor. aldermen and visitora then
returned 20 the city and at Yesterdays |
council meeting the bridge was accepted |
THE BRIDGE
This handsome and substantial structure
wax built by the Indiana Bridge company |
and cost the city Of Houston S3S7di The !
metal weighs 100000 pounds, and ia the !
longest drawbridgc Of similar character |
in the South and the second longest in the |
United states. II is douhle-geared |
bridge. easily handled by one man, The |
snan is 3oi feet long. with twenty-foot |
roadway In the center and sidewalk on |
either side Ave feet wide. Both the pivot |
aud rest piers arc brick. with stone COP |
ing. The approaches are eighty feet on |
the south side and 100 feet on the north |
fidc This latter work was done ~ A. |
ligumbach under contract with the In |
diana Bridge company.
The center or swinging pier Is on the !
soul ern hapk OF the bayou is thirty three |
feet In diameter AZ the top and thirty I've /
feet IN diameter at the bottom. II Is forty |
feet IN height The brick pier on the north
a'de Is tWtysonc feet high, thiriy-six feet |
long ard SIX aud one half feet wide AT the |
TOD, foriy-slx feet lonE and fourteen feet |
wide at the bottom. The pier on the south |
aide is twenty-three feet high, thirty six |
feet long At the top and forty feet at the |