The Cairo bulletin., 1907-12-02

| the gorge to the other they had to
60 many miles around by way OF
ford near the head OF the river.
| Much time was wasted In this
way. and at last the town authorities
sent to a Arm OF engineers and gave
them contract to build fine steel
bridge across the place.
| Within a few months the steel
Orders and beams were unloaded
at the edge OF the gorge, and then
men came to erect the bridge BIT
they had hardly begun before they
stopped again, for they realized sud
denly that, while their plans pro-
vfded for everything that was neces-
sary TO build bridge, they had not
| devised way to get the first beams
across The gorge was nearly hall
mile wide, and there was no beam or
plank long enough in the whole
world. of course, to lay across the
chasm so that men could begin TO
work
Dicks father was the Mayor OF
the town, and when he went down to
the river TO see the engineers they
told him their trouble.
We Wish that You would let IS
have the best kite-fyer among the
boys OF the town We may be able
to do what was done al the Niagara
gorge. where the engineers got the
first cable across by flying kite
from one bank to the other, and then
by means of the Kite string they
hauled a heavier string over, and so
on. until they got string heavy
enough to haul rope over, and thes
the rope pulled the first wire cable
across,
Dick, who held the honor OF be-
Ing the best kite-fyer. hurried home
and returned with his biggest kite;
but though he few II with all his
skill, II was impossible to get the
kite over the gorge. Whichever way
the wind blew, there was an eddy
over the rapids that drove the Kite
back every time.
That night at supper DICKS father
said that he was much worried. THE
town needs the bridge very badly,
indeed" said he. and we all lose
great deal OF time and money be-
cause we have none. But the bnild-
ing of that dam is going 10 cost more
than $4,000. and that means that
we will have to increase taxes heav-
lily and keep them up for a good
many years TO come The town coun-
ell is to meet tomorrow. and | hard
~ know what to say TO them. II
seems too bad that We should have
TO spend $4,000 Just because we
cant get a line across the gorge"
The next morning Dick went Ash
ing for bass in the gorge.
The bass did not bite and gradu-
ally he allowed his line 10 run out
farther and farther into the current.
Suddenly he noticed that after il had
gone about hundred feet an eddy
would seize the bait and pun II
straight toward a rock that showed
above the worst part OF the rapids in
the very middle Of the river.
He tried II again and again Then
he reeIed in hurriedly and ran home.
Soon he vas back again In the gorge
with a long reel OF braided line and
great piece OF wood. 10 which he
had afixed q score OF old hsh-hooks.
He threw II into the current and
PLAYED the line out swiftly until the
wood lodged against the rock 10 the
middle OF the rapids.
Then he made his end OF the line
fast 20 tree and scrambled up the
cliffs and hurried around 10 the ford
three miles above He came dozn to |
The rapids again opposite 10 where
he had been standing Here he tossed |
out another piece Of wood similar |
10 the FIRST and JET II run with the |
current After repeating 81 half a
dozen times. = swirl took r. against |
the very rock where the hrst piece /
Of wood lay lodged: and b. clever
manipulation OF his line he sue
eeeded at last IN floating the tao TO-
sether 90 that ihsir many hooks be-
came interiocked
Then be secured the end OF the /
line 10 a tree. just ss he had scared
the frst line on the other bank. and /
there vas the solution OF the prob
lem that had bsfisd the engineers,