Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-05
CON RovERSy
over LOCATION
OF new BRIDGE
Parties Back. of Movement
Want Structure Located
Below Railway Bridge
at Yutan.
BY E. c. SNYDER.
(Staff Correspondent Of The Omaha

Jeferis is. up against in the inter-
est of the taxpayers Of both Douglas
and Saunders counties.
Shortly after the present session
of congress began F. L. Kirnan OF
the Atlantic Dairy Co. of Omaha
and Henry B. Cowles Of Waterloo
took up with the congressman from
the Second Nebraska district the
location of a proposed bridge across
the Platte at the location named as
factor in the good roads move
ment. In their correspondence the
parties named pointed out the ad-
vantages to be gained in locating
the new bridge below the present
Burlington railway bridge, which
\ crosses the Platte at Yutan. They
showed that this location would
save the taxpayers of both Douglas
and Saunders counties thousands Of
dollars in construction and gave
figures to prove their assertions. r
Referred to State Engineer.
Mr.. Jefferis Immediately communi-
Gated with Governor McKelvie, who
referred the matter to State En-
gineer George E. johnson. On
July 8 Johnson wrote the Omaha
congressman that at the last, meet
ing of the county commissioners OF
Douglas and Saunders counties
these boards were unanimous in ia
vor of locating the bridge above
the Burlington bridge and Mr.. john
son further stated that while he had
no preference in the matter and
felt that there was little difference
between the two sites, suggested he
would base his decision on the rec
concentrations of the commissioners
OF both counties.
The reply of State Engineer
Johnson was communicated to
Messers Kirnan and Cowles by Mr.,
Jefferis and on July "a, the con-
gresham was greatly surprised to
learn that there was "a niger i'll
the wood pile somewhere" for Mr..
Cowles speaking for himself, Mr..
Kirnan and other interested persons,
unhesitatingly stated that the state
engineer was wholly misinformed;
that upon investigation Mr.. Cowles
found that no joint meeting of the
boards of commissioners had been
held for some time past, but that at
the last joint meeting three COM
missioners of Saunders county,
Soren Miller of Morse Bluffs, Amiel
Helsing of Wahoo and George
HEIDI of Yutan voted for the loca
ton as did Henry Mcdonald and
A. c. Harte of the Douglas county
boards. =.
Engineer Misinformed-
Mr. Cowles further said that if the
state engineer refers to the present
board of county commissioners of
Douglas county he is also misin-
formed, and to prove his statement
he enclosed letter from H. S. Nc
Donald, commissioner from the
First district, who states that he
never voted for the upper location
and that he is in favor of the lower
location for the reason that in his
opinion bridge built below the
railroad bridge can be constructed
and maintained at saving of thou
sands of dollars to the taxpayers of
Douglas county and will serve the
interests of all concerned to much
better advantages.
Mr.. Cowles in his letter to Con-
gresham Jefferis further alleges
that the Saunders county commits
sioners are not in favor of the up
per location, but no definite vote
has been had on the proposition.
Referred to Governor.
With these additional facts be-
fore him, Mf. Jefferis again took up
the matter with Governor McKelvie
and urged that in view of the dis
crepancy in the state engineers
statement and Mr.. Cowles' that the
governor investigate the situation
personally. With the presence of
State Engineer Johnson in Wash
ington last week and upon the sug-
gestion of the governor, Mr.. Iefferis
had a conference with Mr.. Johnson
setting forth all the above facts. It
this interview Mr.. Johns n admit
ted that If the statements as given
by Cowles were true he would be
forced to change his position.
Mr.. Jefferis is informed that Coun-
ty Commissioner A. c. Compton of
the Third district of Douglas county
is personally interested in securing
the location of this proposed bridge
across the Platte at the upper site
because of the fact that he owns
property adjacent to this location,
and which would be greatly en-
HANGED. in value if the upper site was
selected. Information also came to
Mr.. Jefferis that Commissioner
Lynch has seen a new light and now
stands ready to vote for the lower
location. The proposed site below
the Burlington bridge would be l 400
feet long as against $500 feet at the
upper site. If the upper site is Sc
lected there will be two channels to
cross as we'll as Otter creek, in
Saunders county, which will have to
be bridged, in addition high hill
to be cut down and moved across
into Douglas county in order to let
the traffic cross the sand adjoining
the river at that place.
Funds are now being raised by
popular subscription in Saunders
county for the construction of this
bridge and it is Mr.. Cowles' conten-
ton that the great majority Of sub
scribers to this fund are in favor of
the lower site.