Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-01

One Of the important factors IN the
permanent Improvement of the coun
tvs highways is the large numbers OIL
| bridges that have been erected by the
; county under the direction of its
board Of supervisors. AS long ago as
| 1906 the board that was then in Office
began TO invest in concrete bridges
| generally regarded as structures that
will last life time, and require few,
if any. repairs.
During 1906 and 1907 the board eX-
perimented with this new type o.
bridge by having its bridge workers
build few In 1905 the supervisors let
the lob for the first reinforced con-
crete bridge ever built in the county by
contract. Since that time no other KIND
of contract bridges have been built.
| and the supervisors holding office in
recent wears have been adding to the
number Of concrete bridges by letting
yearly contracts and by building
bridges by day labor.
Has $932e6 Invested.
| Beginning with 1906 and up to toda%
| the county has invested S93,296.39 IN
these permanent bridges. of which II
has built seventy nine They range in
size from the Nicholson ford bridge
over the Iowa river which is 40 feet
long. to eight foot culverts. These are
exclusive Of the small concrete bridges
and culverts built by the townships.
| Neither does the money spent include
any money used to repair wooden
bridges or build new wooden bridges.
If reinforced concrete proves to be
lasting material for bridges. as the
county's experience to date shows,
eventually every one OF the countNs
500 bridges will be of that material.
Regarded as Permanent Investment.
The supervisors now in office regard
money put into concrete bridges as
permanent investment. They recog-
nize the fact that without good bridges,
good roads are impossible. With this
in mind it is probable that the board
will this year let the contract for several
large bridges and have its bridge gang
build others.
By the latter method the county has
built ffty-three concrete bridges and
culverts since 1906. that had tota
overall length of 1920 feet and that
cost $20,530.39.
During the years from 1908 to date
the county has built under contract
twenty six bridges of total overall
length of 1893 feet. costing s72.766.
Two of these were Iowa river bridges.
The others were smaller, the largest
being a 14O-foot span on the North
Center street road. within the city.
Three-Fifths Of Mile Long. !
II all Of these concrete bridges. ex-
elusive of the culverts and other small
bridges built by the townships. were
placed end to end they would stretch
for three ffths Of a mile.
The first concrete bridges built In
the county were erected in 1905 in Iowa
township. The first OF the larger
bridges, and the first one built under
contract. was a thirty-five foot span
two miles north Of Green Mountain.
that was erected in 1905. -.
The following Is the number Of con-
crete bridges the county has bsilt IN
each township: Bangor. 3: Green
castle, 6; Iowa g.: Jefferson, 4: Liberty.
3: LeGrand. 10; Linn. 8: Lfscomb. );
Logan, 2: Marietta, 8: Minerva, );
Marion. 4: Marshalltown city, 4: State
Center, 8: Taylor, 9: Timber Creek. 2:
Vienna, 2: Washington, g. Total 20.
Every township but Eden is repre-
scented.
F.. Townships Given Aid.
According to E. b. Zines, who has
been chairman OF the bridge commit |
tee IN 1912, an effort has been made to
distribute the new bridges around thru |
the county where they were most need
ed. In addition the supervisors have |
aided the township By buuainS c,uverts