The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-11-26
MISSISSIPPrS
FIRST BRIDGE
Great Opposition Made
to Spanning Father
Of Waters
LINCOLN WINS CASE
Government, Railway Build
New Bridge but Court
Ruling Stand

ROCK ISLAND Monument
10 the legal sNu OF Abraham iau
coin. and making ~. spot whore
the Mississippi rIt"r was f.H span.
ned hy bridge and whore lar
iilst locomotive N1a tU.rloI urruHs
To- tg western Nuul tho Rock
Island bridge u,I. rov rounding ont
n half century la HuyuIuW,u. pro.
pertv. in also sIluW token ~ JI
most 90 years ui peace 'tuhIiHhud
between The rival furDuH ot rail-.
road transportation and water trat-
fic
Most Important 0f fHo casos lu
which Abraham Lincoln was over
employed na lawyer tho case OF
lIurd vs. the Rock island Railroad
bridge company ln 1867 also makes
the h"lEhth and tN. end NJ the
struggle between the two iulorpHta.
which tn reality scomcd tn bo a
clash between tho interests of the
growing railroad city of thlcnKo.
and tho thCu metropolis ana river
town of % Louis chicago had
100000 iuhahitautsi SO Louis i60.-
600
From the first it had beon the
contention ~ river Interests that
building hr.dgos across nuyignble
q
of traffic NotwithNanding their
Vigorous opposition. wooden
bridge was completed over the
Mississippi In 1855. Attempts had
been made during the construction
90 destroy II ana to intlmidRte tho
builders.
Steamboats, hit Bridge.
cause for war In tho courts
was not Ions delayed The steam
n
uf tho supports OF the bridge and
was bnuiy damaged Suit was
brought In the federal court at
Chicago, by the commander of the
vessel. captain liurd. against the
bridge company.
Abraham Lincoln was retained
by the railroad bridge company 20
defend lts right 10 maintain the
uriuEc ii- WIN iir iiriurr WINS
to stay However, the court In
rendering it's decision, cnunciatcd
then that rule ~ traffic which holds
"a this day, that river boats have
always the right Of way Because
OF the ruling every railroad train
In the country today must stop a.
"a bridge and the bridge must go
up, rather than require that the
boat retard its speed
First railroad trains to be pro-
PEELED by their own power acrns.
the Mississippi river passed over the
bridge that occasioned that ruling.
At this same place. however, months
before, elk locomotives were for
ried across, giving the west halt
OF the continent it's first iron horacs.
First fCdcrai bridge.
Fitty years have almost passed
since that bridge was torn down.
The government, venturlng into u
new field of endeavor, in lS72
built Its first public bridge replac-
ing II. The railroad company.
which has become the Chicago,
with the government and shared the
expense.
The fret government bridge
stood until 1896. when n large aud
better steel bridge took It's plncc
II was designed by Ralph MoJeskA
son OF Madame Mojoska the act
rcss.
Distinction attached 20 that bridge
also. in that its draw span, M THAI
time, was the largest ever made
Tho bridge Hs lt now stands was
completed iu December 1896. ats
construction ny the government was
deemed necessary b,,nuso of the
locaiiou here OF one of the govern
ment hrsennls, which since the war.
Ia said to be tho largest IN the
world
Ownership in tho bridge is vested
ln th" government but provision
has boon made that amy othor rail
road may have usv of IL. hy Joining
With the government ANA IN,
niragu Rock Island ana Iucifio
railroad I'm hearing proportional,
share OF the east OF construction.