Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-11-14
Spans Y at Medoraa

0pdllo NVOl
dora, built by popular subscription, for
the sole purpose Of providing the last
link in the great transcontinental
highway? They might have believed
that "some day'-in the dim and dis
tant future, tie country would be set.
tied and farmed, but to have COZ.
WINGED them that horseless carriages
would he %trayersing a splendid high.
way would, have required an effort
equal to that the early theorists expe-
rienced in trying to convince a super.
stitious world that the earth was
round instead Of fiat.
Seeing America First"
Yet all these have taken place. Next
season the Red Trail will be strung
with motor Ears containing thousands
of people who are Seeing America
First" by visiting the Yellowstone or
the Glacier National parks or taking
the glorious mountain trip to the Pa
ciflc coast.
The National Parks Transcontinen:-
al Highway is known to the world, but
before the opening of another motor
ing aso the motoring world will
know that a great bridge has been
completed over the Little Missouri
river at. lMedora that will make the
trip by this route one of the easies;
and grandest of any in the country.
Process Of Construction.
The Red Trail bridge at Medora is
now in process Of construction, an
architects drawing being reproduced
herewith. This bridge is 4C5 feet
long, not counting the approaches,
There are three steel spans Of 49,
feet each, resting on heavy concrete
piers that will make the bridge one
that will be in use many years hence.
1T will cost $4,000, of which amount
$4,000 was raised by popular sub.
scription in the towns along the route
of the Red Trail from Fargo to Glen.
dive, Montana. The balance was pro.
yided by Billings county, North Da,
kota, in which county tle bridge is sit
uated.
This bridge is the last link in a real
auto trail from coast to coast. 1t. is
real in that it is not only on the map,
but it is a well make, easy grade road
open to actual traffic all the way.
There r some things which the av.
erage motorist mas yet to learn about
this route. These are the easy grades
the unimpeachable motoring climate,
the exceptional hotel and garage and
supply facilities, and last, but not
least, the wonderful scenic beauty OF
the route.
Best Facilities.
To a great many, especially eastern.
ers,- the Little Missouri country con.
veys an impression something similar
to that which Colonel Roosevelt re.
ferrea to in his article in the Century
Magazine of May, 1883. These have
yet TO learn that along this route the
best facilities al be secured the en-.
tire distance,
The climate during the entire mo.
toring season cannot he surpassed
anywhere, as during tae summer the
days are long and balmy, without the
intense heat of the routes further
south, while the nights are cool.
There is constantly a breeze, usually
from the south, making dust a thing
practically unknown and, above all,
there is no desert to cross.
Many Points Of Interest.
There is probably no other route
that has 50 many points Of, interest
and of so varied a character as this
route. 1t not only takes in the many
historic points OF. the eastern states,
blu also follows the shores of Lake
Erie and Lake Michigan, and after
leaving Chicago passes through. the
Dell region Of Wisconsin and travers.
es the beautiful wood and lake regions
Of Minnesota, the great small grain
plains Of eastern North Dakota,
through the magical Bad Lands OF
western North Dakota-the gqome.
land of the continent-the fruit val.
leys Of Montana and Idaho and the
gorgeous and titanic Rocky moun.
tains. t..
And it is the Little Missouri River
bridge at Medora that opens up this
wide variation Of American scenic
beauty to the motorist. Heretofore
this stream has been a barrier that
compelled the tourist to have his cor
taken across the railroad bridge by
loading it on q fiat cara provoking
interruption. This is now all eliminat.
edit Is gasoline power the entire
trip.
To the tourist the Medora bridge
will be especially Interesting, as it
will be indicative Of the rapid prog.
res that has been made in the last
frontier Of the United States. In
crossing the bridge ne can look ct
either shore and think that only 50
years ago the country was practically
unknown to white mer aud thet Jndi.
ans and game roamed 1t in practically
their primitive state.