Urge Congress to Build Breakwaters on River 1882

MISSISSIPPI

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 4/18/2017 at 21:52:28

The Clinton Age, Clinton, Iowa, January 20, 1882

A number of gentlemen interested in steam boating in the northwest are in Washington to urge on congress a law requiring that a breakwater about thousand feet long be placed above each bridge across the Mississippi River and its tributaries to break the force of the current in high waters. This they insist would be a protection to steamboats. Several steamboats have been destroyed by being swept away against the piers of bridges by the current. There are thirteen bridges and the estimate is it would cost $200,000 to build breakwaters for them all. The delegation will also ask that the law shall require that all bridges built hereafter shall be provided with these breakers.