The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-18
Main Street Bridge
Project Given Impetus
From Monday's Daily.

mdsUf n. ". tntS mOrn-
ing's meeting OF the city council APP
pointed n committee TO look into the
matter OF getting new concrete
bridge erected over the Minnesota
river at Main street. The committee
consists of ali OF the members of
the city councils, the village council
Of North Mankato. and Henry Robel.
Sr and Wendell Hodapp. both of
that village. This committee is to
call on the county commissioners
OF both Blue Earth and Nicollet coun,
ties. the state highway commission.
the Mankato Electric Traction CON-
pany, the Consumers Power company
and any other concerns that may be
especially interested. and see what
can be obtained from each of them
to make up the fund that will be
necessary for the construction OF
the new bridge.
General Gustave widell presented
TO the council this morning a report
to the effect that such a bridge as
was described to him by the mayor
would cost In the neighborhood of
$4,000. He said. however that this
was rather a rough estimate. When
the details Of theh plan were worked
out, the cost might be somewhat
less. He presented plan for n
bridge with forty-foot driveway and
with a walk OF six feet on each side
making fifty-two feet In all The plan
described six plans.
A four-span bridge had also been
discussed, but the general stated that
six spans would give higher arches.
so that ice could drift under the
bridge more readily.
Mr.. RobeI Addressed Council
Henry Robel, Sr., OF North Man
kato. who has long interested himself
greatly in the project of getting a
new bridge built at that place, ad
dressed the council as follows:
IF you will permit me. wish to
say q few words relative to the nee
essity of building a new bridge on
Main street The present bridge was
built in 1880. when the population OF
the city of Mankato was about six
thousand. North Mankato was not
in existence at that time. When the
bridge was built, there were no side
walks connected Herewith. II was
considered that II would serve the
public for many years to come, which
II did. Its strength and capacity were
also considered and II was determined
that not more than ten head Of cattle
should De driven across said bridge at
one time and In violation thereof.
fine of SO would be imposed. And Il
also was determined that a fine of
s25 would be imposed for riding or
driving across said bridge faster than
a walk. All of the above was deter
mined in accordance with the strength
OF the bridge. We will estimate that
ten head of cattle will weigh six tons
and that weight would be on one span
of the bridge as they pass from one
span to the other. In other words,
IL was determined that not more
than six ton should be on one
span at one time as that was all the
span could safely carry.
Sidewalk Was Attached.
After few years II was found
necessary that sidewalk be at
tached to the bridge and later that
gas pipes aud electric wires must
be placed on said bridge. and i'm
place of single plank we now, have
double planking. The approximate
weight of each span is as follows:
There are three spans in the bridge.
The length of each is about 167
feet and Is feet wide. Single two
inch planking. 167x1s making 6.012
feet OF lumber: weight OF same,
six tons. A sidewalk, 167 feet long.
on each side, weight of each, three
tons, making six tons. Gas pipes.
one and one-half tons. to say nothing
about telephone cables and wires,
making each span thirteen and one
half tons heavier than IL was when
first built, which Is seven and one
half tons above the prohibited traf-
fc weight. The fast driving was
prohibited because of the vibration
II causes to the bridge. and thereby
crystallizing the iron and steel
therein.
For the past ten or twelve years
there was also prohibited driving
across said bridge any heavy en-
gines or threshing outfits, all of
which had to 60 around by the way |
of st. Peter. or through the river.
Speaking About Vibration.
Speaking about vibration, thirty
four years ago. when this bridge was |
built we had fast horses and fast /
drivers and both have been In ex-
istence during all Of this time up to |
the present date but little, IL any.
attention has been given to fast |
driving across said bridge, but =,
driving with horses is nothing
pared with the fast driving OF the !
automobile of today. Have any OF ,
you been on the bridge when an au-
tomobile crosses and only at lin
tied speed? II you have. certainly you
have noticed the awful vibration and
rattling of the iron rods compare
lively to the bones OF a skeleton.
The population of the city OF
Mankato Is about twelve thousand
and that OF North Mankato about
fifteen hundred, making thirteen
thousand five hundred as against six
thousand when this bridge was first
built, and all cross this bridge more
or less. Most of the sand used I'm
the city of Mankato is taken on the
other side of the river and hauled
across the bridge. Also, the heavy
product of our quarries and brick
yard must come over this bridge.
to say nothing OF the hundreds of
farmers of NicoIiet county that bring
their produce to, the city of Man
kato.
Kept Track Of Pedestrians.
Myself and j. B. Coy kept account
30 he ufrfa taas atsfs |