Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-27
NEW BRIDGE FOR PARAMOUNT
Board Of Park Commissioners Let Contract
for Steel Structure.
THIS ACTION FOLLOWS SUNDAYS CAvE-IN
Dimculty I'm Procuring Material VIII,
However, Prevent the Work of
Replacing the ola bridge Being
Completed This summer.

The High" bridge over the cut at the
entrance to Fairmount park ie to be re-
placed as soon as possible with a new steel
structure. This was decided upon at meet
ing of the park commissioners yesterday
afternoon The cave-in of several tons OF
earth directly under the bridge Sunday
afternoon at the time large crowds OF vis-
itors were passing to and from the park
demonstrated to the commissioners that
some prompt action in the matter was
necessary and consequently Chairman
Schmidt called the board together yesterday
afternoon
The structure known as the High" bridge
has been considered unsafe for travel ever
since the spring OF 1898, when 1t was closed
to the public. When the earth fell away
from under 1t Sunday afternoon the fact
became apparent that the piling supporting
the structure had rotted and fears were en-
tertained that 1t might come tumbling down.
Examination yesterday showed that there
was 10 immediate danger of the bridge
collapsing, but that II there were further
landslide directly beneath 1t as occurred
Sunday the structure in all probability
would give way and fall into the cut. Sew
eral plans were submitted at the meeting
by Chairman Schmidt one being to remove
the bridge entirely and do without one at
that point. The expense of removing the
bridge was estimated at about SIS. Another
plan suggested was to remove the structure
about eighty feet east, where the cut is mar
rover, and where the span proper OF the
bridge would cover the space between the
two sides. In following out this plan, the
board would have been under the necessity
of purchasing about an acre of land on the
north side of the cut for the purpose Of
making a road to connect with the park
road. This. after some discussion, was de-
cided would be too costly. The third sug-
gestion made by the chairman was that the
board replace the old bridge with a new
structure, and this the board decided was
about the cheapest way out of the diff
Guilty.
G. H. Campbell was present and submitted
bid for replacing the old bridge with a
steel structure having a ninetyfoot span
and eighteen-foot roadway for $1,000. The
bid was accepted and contract entered
into.
The new bridge will rest on concrete piers
and the span proper will cross the cut and
rest on either side. The old bridge had but
forty-foot span, and on both ends had
wooden approaches, the timbers and piling
of which had become rotten. Owing to the
difficulty in obtaining material, Contractor
Campbell informed the board that it would
require at least ninety days to secure the
steel work, but that as soon as that could
be got here time would be lost in COM
pleting the structure. The old bridge will be
useful while putting the new one in place,
and IL on further investigation it is found
that 1t can temporarily be strengthened so
as to avoid any danger of its falling into
the cut 1t will be retained in its present
place until the new one is finished. The old
bridge formerly did duty over Indian Creek
and was presented to the park board by
the city about ten years ago. Mr.. Camp
bells contract for $1,000 includes the tear
ing down OF the old bridge.