Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-08-17
MISSOURI COULD
Be SPAWNED
FOR $25O,000
Turner, Eastern Architect, De-
clares Small Sum Would Build
Suitable Bridge.
DOES NOT FAVOR
SUSPENSION TYPE
Rigid, Substantial antilever Style
Best for All Purposes, Says
Expert.

That the Missouri river can be span
ned with a rigid, substantial can't.
lever type Of bridge for not to exceed
q narter.millioosis the opinion OF G.
"A. r. Turner, of Minneapolis. Chicago
and New York. designer Of some Of
Americas most famous bridges. and
who spent day in Bismarck this
week looking into the possibility Of
spanning the Big Muddy.
Mr.. Turner's figures are from $780,
900 to $150,OO0 lower than other esti-
mates received to date. He regards
his estimate as very conservative, and
is Of the opinion that the maximum
named will serve not only to complete
the bridge, but may care for the ap.
proaches at either side. '"
The big bridge engineer does not
favor suspension type for the Mis-
souri,. He admits that it would be
cheaper than any other form of con-
struction. At the same time. he has
found it to lack the stability and per.
manency of the cantilever type.
Mr.. Turner is thoroughly familiar
with the Missouri AS consulting en-
gineer for the 500 Line, he has de-
signed all of that company's spans for
the last sixteen years, and recently
prepared plans for the 500 bridga
over the Missouri which IS to link the
proposed extension west and north
from Sanish. One of his late struc-
lures Is the half-million-dollar bridge
over the st. Croix river at Somerset.
The famous aerial bridge at Duluth is
a Turner creation, and his plans were
accepted just before the war depres-
sion reached northwestern Canada for
a $2,0O0,OO0 bridge across the Mar
rows at Vancouver.
The bridge architect believes that if
contracts for the Missouri span could
be let next year and an allowance Of
at least two years provided for the
delivery of steel, saving of $50, 900
to 100000 over present prices of struc-
tural fabric could be effected. He does
not believe 1t feasible to endeavor to
complete such a project within less
than two years after the beginning Of
operations.
Should Burleigh and Morton coun-
ties decide to bond for the erection of
this bridge, as they are permitted to
do by special acts of legislature, it is
probable that state. and federal aid
might be procured, under the terms Of
the Shackelford good roads bill,
which recently became law. There
would also be bare possibility of as
s1stance from the war department.
Barring any assistance from these
sources, it is said that the interest
charges on the bonds would be but
s., 900 per annum for each county, or
less than the city of Bismarck alone
now pays annually into the Burleigh
county road fund. II the bridge were
operated on toll basis and only a
nominal fee charged, such as has been
exacted for years on the Fades bridge
over the Mississippi at St. Louis.
those familiar with such projects
claim that the interest charges and
something to apply on the principal
easily could be earned.
Mr.. Turner is much interested in
the possibility Of q wagon bridge be.
Ing built here, and he believes that he
could easily procure bids within the
maximum cost which he has named.
Both the Mandan and the Bismarck
commercial clubs have bridge COM
mittees which have had this import
ant problem under consideration for
some time, and there is some proba-
bility of an active campaign being
opened on the Mandan side.