The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-10-02

bridge interfered with navigation;
that the company would do nothing
until this case was decided.
Mr.. Strachan stated that the CON-
pany would file a copy of the plead
ings in this case.
At the request of John Lind, Mr..
Strachan gave some interesting
information as to the business done
in Bemidji and also as to the prob
able cost of a draw bridge.
He stated that it would not be
practicable to elevate the NJ. &. L.
tracks and crossing, between the
lakes, to a height sufficient to allow
a boat eight, ten or fifteen feet high,
or higher, to pass under.
He stated that many alterations
would have to be made to the yards
here, in order to install the draw
bridge and that the cheapest bridge,
of this kind, would at least cost $685.
900. It would take at least two
men to operate the bridge and the
expense of handling the draw bridge
would be $1,000 per year. The
draw bridge would be a constant
source of danger and obstruction to
the railway operations. Most of the
switching of Bemidji is done over
the present bridge, the average for a
year being from eight to ten trains
daily.
Mr.. Stra chan stated that it would
not be practicable we're a draw
bridge constructed, to maintain the
present station on this side of Lake
The Company would prob
ably be compelled to erect a station
and depot on the east side of the
channel.
Question made by Major Skunk to
Mr.. Strachan that the abandoning of
the present station, on account of
the draw bridge, would be necces-
sary, owing to the extreme danger,
while switching. The local switch
engine being used about fourteen
hours daily and a large portion of
that time it was at work on this side
of the lake.
John F. Gibbons, city attorney,
for the city of Bemidji and
read a letter from Mayor Pogue,
who was unable to be present. Mr..
Pogue objected to a draw or span
bridge and stated his reason. That
the Mississippi, at the disputed
point, was not a navigable stream,
the water not being over twelve or
fourteen inches deep at any time.
No boat of any size would 90 over
over without artificial head-waters.
If the new bridges were ordered to
be put in, it will be a hardship to
the city. He believed that no other
person but Mr.. McLachlan was
responsible for the complaint made
to the government.
Mr.. Gibbons also spoke relative
to the bridge, at the outlet of Lake
Bemidji. He claimed that the water
was only from twelve to fourteen
inches deep and it was impossible to
navigate in any kind of boat; on
account of the. rocks,
A. c. Patterson, assistant chief
gave some interesting in
formation rel9 tive to the Great
Northern, interests in the proposed
bridges. He estimated the cost of
putting in a draw bridge at about
$4,000, to be operated by manual
power. = The draw bridge would be
a great obstruction to traffic and an
element of great danger. liz
Mr.. Patterson stated that Bemid il
was on the main line of the Great
Northern from the Pacific to Duluth
and that traffic was very heavy. He
stated that the present bridge had
been built in 1898, and during the
past nine years this was the first
time complaint had been made, that
it had interfered with navigation.
Ex-Governor, John Lind of Min
neapolis, attorney for the NJ, r. L.
& M. Railway, was the next speaker.
Mr.. Lind stated that his com
pany's bridge was last to be built: