The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-05-26

breadth. The crossing of the engines
was accompanied by the screeching Of
whistles from each engine, creating d
din that 1t seemed might have been
heard for miles.
Among other distinguished men
present We're Judge J. M. Dickinson.
generalseounsel for the Illinois Cen
tral at Chicago, ex Mayor C. p. Wal.
bridge Of St Louis, Vice President
Harahan Of the Illinois Central ana
others.
Far Reaching Effects.
The effects Of the opening Of this
great double track bridge will be far.
reaching. II begins its part in the
course of progress by doing away with
| the slow and tedious car ferry, which
has been the method employed IN
crossing the river since the Illinois
Central and the Chicago and Eastern
Illinois made their way to the Missis.
sippi to exchange business with the
| Cotton Belt system Thebes bridge
| is so fortunate in it's location that its
| approaches are on most gradual anr
moderate incline, making it possible
to run trains Of great length over 1t
/ which fact tends both to great expeal-
ton and economy in operating freight
trains especially. This, added to the
fact that Thebes is a natural gateway
for southwestern business, makes GER
tain that Thehes bridge will have an
instant quickening effect upon the up-
building Ct a vast and naturally rich
and still thinly settled territory 1t
will give immediate impetus to ship
ments Of freight congestion which al,
ways has existed at Saint Louis ana
! Cairo, for the reason that, as the
bridge will constitute a part of the
4 general trackage of the several ROADS
iusing IT, through freight trains in bot
| directions will he run and the neccs
sity for switching, as is the case al
Saint Louis, will be obviated.
Helps Through Train Service.
/ Thebes bridge Is also step in the
direction Of added through passenger
/ trains between Chicago and New on
leans. The first effect along passen
ger lines VII be through trains be
\ tween Chicago and Memphis, which
the Chicago and Eastern Illinois. by
means Of the completion Of thii
bridge, will install by fall Of this year;
and within a year thereafter IL is the
expectation Of this road to install 3
through passenger service between
Chicago and New Orleans uy means d
the road II is now pushing to compile
tion from Memphis on south.
Admirable Site tor Hrlcge.
The Site OF the Thebcs bridge fol
many years has been considered I'll,
most advantageous location for
bridge at any point on the Missssip
pi south Of Saint Louis. When tn
: Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
company decided to extend It's roa,
: to connection with the Cotton Rel
lines, II located its eoutbern terminus
, as bridge site The Southern Illinois
and Missouri Bridge company was o,
ganized on December 9Th 1900, In tn
! interest Of the Illinois Central an
the Chicago and Eastern Illinois raj
J roads ON the cast side Of The river an
the Missouri Pacific. Saint Louis. lro
! Mountain and Southern and Saln
/ Louis isSouthwestern Railway comp,
}. nies on the west side Of the rIvcI
The capital stock Of the bridge con
rany was divided equally bctwcel
!, these five companies Bills were In
G medatcly introduced In both house
y Of congress 70 authorize the constru
\ ton OF the bridge, and on January 2
Q 1901, the act was approved ny II
Q president.
a Opposition Roads Fought X.
\. For several months before Tho q
X ganizaticn OK this bridge compat
.;. . l.1.& n y. \ \ x. NJ. & \. \, IA:I