Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1919-07-31
PRELIMINARY WORK
0lN|MIlL|LI0N DOLLAR
BEMARC CK BRIDGE
Prop sltruucte / I WIN Be
Eight Hundred Feet
Long Highway commi.-
sion May Seek Federd Aid.

sion May Seek Federd Aid.
Bismacrk, N. D., July 29.-Pre-
liminary' work now is in progress on
the million-dollar bridge which is to
span the Missouri. The state high
way commission in conference with
:C. A. p. Turner, Minneapolis bridge
engineer, and the bridge committee
Of the Burleigh and Morton county
commissions on Saturday afternoon
ratified the contract entered into
with Turner for the original engi-
neering work which fs to evolve a
complete set of plans for the big
structure. The question Of contract
ing with Mr.. Turner for supervision
of actual construction work on the
big bridge was entered into, but was
not definitely disposed Of.
The Turner engineering company
now has man on the ground max
Ing soundfngs and surveys. The
Turner plan contemplates a 2s-foot
roadway, at either side of which
space is to be left for 4 sidewalk for
pedestrians. The state highway
Commission originally favored a min
imum width Of "a feet. Decision on
this point will await the completion
Of the preliminary plans The plan
contemplates gravel surfacing Of
the approaches from the Bismarck
side and probably concrete cause
way on the Mandan side, where con-
struction, because Of flood difficult
ties, must be of a more permanent
nature
The bridge proper will consist Of
two 404-foot spans resting on three
huge piers, one on either bank and
one in the middie 81 the channel.
The contract with Turner calls for
all necessary plans and specifica-
tions, surveys, s0undings. and prelim-
mary engineering datk: Turner Ii Is
report to and. do this work to the
satisfaction OF the state highway
commission. His contract calls for
approximately $4,000, which has
been subscribed equally by the city
commission of Bismarck and; the
Morton county board. Should the
state highway commission decide to
ask federal aid on this project, and
if the Turner company is awarded
the general contract, Bismarck and
Morton county will be reimbursed
for the amount expended on prelim-
inaries. 5s IL es:
State Commission Behind It.
The state highway commission is
definitely behind this project" said
State Engineer w. III. Robinson to-
day. There has not been an unfav-
orable expression from any member
Of this commission. All are agreed
appn the need for the bridge.
Attorney General LANCER has
ruled that Z specific appropriation
must he. made by the legislative as
sembly. It. the state is to participate
in the, construction OF this bridge.
IN view Of the sentiment expressed
by counties ON both sides of the riv-
er which have gone ON record in this
matter, there would seem to be lit
tie question as to the attitude which
the legislature would take II asked
for direct appropriation
"A bill authorizing the state to as
sist in bridging streams which form
the dividing lines between two coun-
ties was passed by the last assem- bly,,
tut the attorney general has ruled
that no funds will be available un-
der this act for spanning the Mis-
souri,, inasmuch as no specific appro-
spriation for that purpose was made.