The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-12
Frederic Haskin's Letter
Crossing the DelatDare NotO.

+, Ralph Modieska, internationally
known for his great list Of sue
| cesses in civil engineering. was
unanimously appointed to the posi-.
ton of chief bridge engineer
George S. Webster and Lawrence A
Ball are other members appointed
to the board of engineers Tor the
construction Of the Delaware
bridge.
Mr.. Modieska is rather unusual
person. Born at Cracow, Poland, in
1851, with the original terrible sur
| name of Modrejewski, he came to
/ the United States with his mother
| Helena Modjeska, later celebrated
as a tragedienne, in 1876. The modi-
! flcation in the Modjeska surname
was made at the time American
naturalization papers were applied
for. Mr.. Modieska was graduated
from College des Points ct Chaussecs
of Paris at the head OF his class and
with special honors. He received
the doctor of engineering degree
from the University of Illinois in
1911. He has engaged in many i'm
portant undertakings while pursu-
ing mis- chosen profession and is
now head of his own firm in Chi
cago as we'll as prominent in many
organizations and societies in the
country.
Mr.. Modjeska will receive a sal
airy of $500 a month and is to de-
vote nearly one-half of his time TO
the designing and construction of
the great work He will be in full
charge Of all details regarding the
structure. and will have a fully or
gained staff to carry out his in
structions. Mr. Webster and Mr..
Ball will each receive a monthly
salary Of $1,000
To Garry Great Traffic.
Among the most important things
planned for the Delaware bridge bv
the engineers of the bridge commits
sion are six roadways, four trolley
lines, 1.-TWO for high-speed service),
and two 10-feet walks for pedes-
TRANS. In this way, all kinds Of
traffic can be readily served. The
grimy, pokey old ferry-boat between
these two cities seems to be
doomed
What would George Washington
think could he but know what is
planned as the Goth century method
OF crossing the Delaware" The
cakes of ice which may form in the
river in the winter time will not
have the power to affect traffic
from shore to shore of the Della
ware in the future as is so graphic
ally depicted in the thousands of
copies of that famous old steel en-
craving that used to hang on every
best parlor wall
While no definite date has been
set for the completion of this great
suspension bridge, it is generally
hoped that it may be completed and
in good working order in time for
the celebration of the Sesqui-Cen-
tennial planned for Philadelphia in
1926. Thousands of tourists to this
in honor of the 150th an-
niversary of the signing of the
Declaration of independence will
find this bridge a boon indeed.
Work on the test borings for the
bridge were begun on Aug. Is, but
he actual construction of the bridge
was commenced on Labor day, when
3 large celebration was held
Considerable interest in the con-
5trpction of this bridge has been ex-
pressed by foreign nations. En-
cheering societies and other or
CARNATIONS in Mexico, Portugal,
France, England, New South Wales,
Hawaii, Argentina, Holland, Colon
oia and Peru are among those
which have shown marked interest
n the report announcing the 81
for building the Della
ware bridge. 1t is apparently IN
imminent danger of becoming the
ninth wonder of the modern world.
1t any rate, it will undoubtedly
prove a great convenience to two Of
,ur busiest cities.