Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-16
Council Bluffs
BRIDGE ORGANIZATION
Committees Appointed at Meeting
Friday Evening.
BRIDGE BOOSTERS OPTIMISTIC
Preliminary TaIk Favors Location of
Western End of the Proposed
Structure M Foot of
Farnam street.

Preliminary steps towards securing a free
bridge between Council Bluffs and Omaha
were taken at a meeting OF the Joint COM
mittee from the two cities last night In the
rooms of the Council Bluffs Commercial
club. II the enthusiasm Of the members Of
the counts for anything and the
project meets with the support which II Is
believed IT will on both sides of the river,
a free bridge across the Missouri river
seems assured.
Tho committee organized by selecting
Henry IL. Van Brunt of Council Bluffs as
It's chairman and f. D.. Wead Of Omaha as
secretary. Present at the meeting were
II. II. Baldrige. F. u. wead and c. Nj.
Wilhelm Of Omaha and II. II. Van Brunt,
Joe w. Smith, Frank f. Everest, A.. c.
Keller and w. c. Boyer Of Council Bluffs.
W. f. Baxter and E. A.. Benson. the other
two Omaha members Of the committee, were
unable to be present.
The following committees were appointed:
On probable cost of bridge. w. c. Boyer,
F.. e. Everest, f. A. Benson and r. D.
Wead; on right-of-way. A. c. Keller, Joe
w. Smith. II. H. Baldrige and c.. M. Will
helm; on promotion Council Bluffs, H. II.
Van Brunt, F. F. Everest, w. c. Boyer, A.
c.. Keller and Joe w. Smith.
Necessarily much of the discussion last
night was Informal and of a preliminary
character. The Omaha member of the
committee said that the sentiment in their
city and Douglas county generally was In
Favor Of the proposition and they felt GER
tain that bonds for the construction Of a
free bridge would carry on their side of
the river.
Mr., Van Brunt was as equally optimistic
as the Omaha members. He said that
everybody he had spoken with about the
proposition appeared to be in favor of It
and as far as Council Bluffs was concerned
a great majority undoubtedly would vote
for the bonds. He believed the same would
be true of the farmers within a radius of
several miles of Council Bluffs. As to the
people in the eastern part of the county,
he would not at this time express any
opinion.
Frank Everest expressed the opinion that
at least 20 per cent Of the people in the
city would vote for the bonds, as would
the farmers three miles out or the
7 boundaries of Garner township. MIR. Ever.
est believed that the proposition to issue
bonds for Pottawsttamie's share of the cost
of construction of the bridge would carry.
The committee appointed to secure an
estimate of the probable cost of a bridge
such as is contemplated will secure figures
from bridge engineers and others and re-
port back to the joint committee at its
next meeting. The members of the com
mittee generally favor locating the west
ern end of the bridge on Farnam street,
but of course this is a matter which will
depend on circumstances and later develop
ments.
The Council Bluffs committee on promo
ton is appointed for the purpose of con-
ferring with the members OF the Board of
/ County Supervisors and ascertaining their
views on the project and their opinions
as to how the proposition would be re-
ceived in ,Sheir respective communities
Colonel w. f. Baker, the Council Bluffs
member of the County board, was stated
to be quite enthusiastic over the project
and would lend the committee all the as
sistance in his power.
Ii was stated during the discussion that
Pottawattamie corpty's share of the cost
of the proposed bridge would probably not
exceed $1,000 or S125, 900 at the most, as
Douglas county would be expected to pay
about three-fourths of the cost.
The committee adjourned to meet at
noon Tuesday, June s, at the rooms of
the Commercial club i'm Omaha, when the
project will be further discussed and plans
outlined over the luncheon table.