El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-15

Morning ana Consult the Cn1eI VI
the Mexican Boundary Commission
The Bridge Was In A Dangerous
Condition.
News reached here yesterday after
noon that Assistant Superintendent
Aver and Civil Engineer Pearson
would arrive this morning over the
Santa Fe to consult with Gen. Blanco,
chief of the Mexican boundary COM
mission with q view to resuming work
on the joint railroad bridge across the
Rio Grande at this point.
The three met as per ar
rangement and went over the ground
together. The plans and specifications
which were in possession of Mr.. Pear
son, were shown Gen. Blanco and while
he is not invested with the power to
authorize resumption of work on the
Mexican side, his influence predomin-
ates to a great extent. He expressed
himself as being satisfied with the
plans but said that they would have to
be sent to the City of Mexico for ap-
proval.
In conversation this NJ orning A ssistant
Superintendent Aver said that work
would be pushed as rapidly as possible
rs soon as the Mexican government re-
leased the plans. He said that the
railroad companies were very anxious
to complete the structure and that no
time would be lost when the plans were
turned over to them.
BJ Mustain arrived here late yes
terdsy evening with the construction
train and prce of wOrkmen and this
morning early they went to work tear
ing down the American side of the
bridge, Mr.. Mustain said that his
force was small at present but that it
would be inc reased TO fifty men as fast
as help could be secured. "My orders
from headquarters are to proceed with
the work on the BRIDGE" said Mr..
Mustain when app cached this morn
ing, "aud that is about all the
Information 1 am able to impart to you.
Four spans for the new bridge arrived
on our train last night and among the
fat cars on which the spans were load
ed are two steel cars of 100 900 pounds
capacity each. L feel safe in saying
that this is the first time that cars of
this enormous capacity have entered
this point on any road"
This bridge question has been the
all-absorbing topic OF conversation in
and out of railroad circles ever since
the work of construction was stopped
BY the Mexican government some time
ago The bridga crosses river which
is the dividing line between this coun-
try and Mexico, in consequence of
which half OF the structure is in each
country Through some misunder-
standing the Mexican government
stopped the workmen from
operating on Mexican soil.
The wood work on the center span of
the bridge ! ad been torn away and al
the false work completed before an
objection was interposed by our friends
on the south, and this left the bridge
in very dangerous condition. The
force of skilled workmen sent here by
the Missouri Bridge and Iron company
to construct the steel work, were mott
fed, after waiting here for several
weeks, to return east, since operations
had been suspended at this point
They returned and for the past few
weeks nothing has been done to the
bridge.
All this time, however, the railroad
officials have been pressing matters
and their efforts have been crowned
with success and it is hoped for the
safety of this community that nothing
will spring up that will again stop the
work of construction.