The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-05-06
MILLION FOR
MISSOURI SPAN .
IS AVAILABLE
Cooperation Between Counties,
State and Nation Assures
Success of Big Project
WORK TO BEGIN AT ONCE
Bismarck City Commission Ap-
propriates $2,500 for Pre-
liminary Engineering

More than $1,O00,0O0 for the most
important improvement which yet has
been attempted on the Red Trail Will
be made available for the construc'
tiOn of bridge across tne Missouri
and necessary approaches on either
slue through cooperation upon the
part OF Manuan ana MlsmafcK, Mor.o'l
and burleigh counties and lAe state
anu federal highway departments
The linul preliminary step was Ia
ken To-Day wnen the Morton coun.y
board sof conn. .ssioners adopted IA cs-
oiutiofl appr0priating $A,ooo iof M
mediate use as its 90 per cent OF the
estimated cost OF preliminary eng
neerlng3 and s3o,OOv per annum 1or t'le
eusulngsLnlee years me BtulAslHn
county commission slast niias.y
adopted resolution appr0pria tlias
soU,JvU for eacn or the next ensuing
three years as this countys snare o.
the coslu1> the bridge and approaches,
while the liismarcA city commission
al its Monday evening meeting appio-
DrlaLed $.,ovJ as THIS coun(y snare
vi lne preliminary engineering eXi
pense. ..
= LARGE Fund Provided.
Burleign alu morton county )olntly
make available $lS0,OU0 for the co4l-
structiOn OF bridges and approaches,
The state highway department VIII as
slst with state aid IN the amount or
S36O. 900, and The Ieueral government
win De asked Tor @o4U,VOv, making d
total OF $I,JSO,0Uv to be expended 4lr7
ing the next llree years, exclusive oi
the 5000 appropriated by Morton
county and the c4Ly o. BISMARCK lof
Immediate use III preliminary ensit-
netrlng work. ..ft
,important Project.
The bridge across the Missouri IS
the most important construction pro
iect in which the North Dakota high
way commission has yet interested H.
self. At present there is no perma-
nent wagon Oradge across this stream
IRON the SOuln LakO.a TO the Montana
state .iines.s l,Aere are temporary poi
loon brlases at one or two points,
which have. given little satisfaction.
For the most part wagon +apq automo
bile traffic relles on gasoline lerr1es,
ana there are alwaysaseveral months
IN lhe year w1Un even, this serviceots
not available. s.rr 5H =
20. Result Of Long Campaign. H.,
The progress announced today,
which practically assures an improve
ment which Will mean more to the de-
yelopment OF North Dakota than any
one can now conceive, is result OF
campaign jointly undertaken by MOI
ton anu burleigh counties more than
three years ago. Puonc sentiment a.
that time was found to be favorable
to the bridge. prominent e..glneers
from various points were brought
here to offer tentative estimates, and
some headQar had been made Wnen
lowering war clouds mare further ac-
lion at the time inadvisable.
During the three years which have
elapsed since the project was first
broached there mas been favorable
state and federal legislation whic n mas
greatly furthered the plan. When, with
the close OF the. war and the opening
of the. reconstruction period, the
bridge campaign was resumed a few
months ago, the two counties found
their work much simplified and plans
to date have gone through without "a
hitch.
Estimates Obtained.
The Waddell Engineering Co.. OF
Kansas City, which became interested
in the project three years ago, sent
experts here at the invitation of the
two counties, and they have furnish
ed tentative estimates Of the cost OF
the preliminary engineering and OF
the ultimate construction. The engl-
neering plans include not only the ac-
tual construction of the bridge but
the provision of ample approaches on
either side of the river which will life
the Red Trail above the high wate.'
mark and make it as permanent and
passable thoroughfare at all seasons
of the year as the Northern Pacific
tracks, which it parallels.
To Advertise for Bids.
The two county commissions will
advertise for bids on the preliminary
engineering work at once. 1t is esti-
mated that the cost OF this work will
not exceed $4,000. 1t is probable that
the soundings and surveys necessary
will consume the greater part of the
summer, and it is not believed that ac-
tual construction work can be COM
menced until next spring. The most
likely site for the bridge seems to be
Immediately adjoining the Northern
Pacific railway bridge. Federal regu-
lations covering navigable streams re-
ouire that bridges either be immedi-
Continued on page eight