RIVER BRIDGES

pg 389

This county has seven wagon bridges over the Iowa river.

The first one was built at Wapello, in 1873 and 1874; it was authorized by supervisors Andrew Gamble, N. M. Letts and P. D. Bailey. It must be noted, to the credit of Gamble and Letts, that this was at a time when the county seat excitement was very great, and that both these men were strong advocates of Columbus Junction.

This bridge was built by D. H. and C. C. Morrison, and its first cost was $13453.50. Wm, G. Allen was the commissioner in charge of its construction. The bridge has been added to since then.

The next bridge was the one over the Iowa river at Fredonia, which was finished in 1878. It cost about $20,000, and was, at the time it was built, said to be the longest wagon bridge in the state. The town of Columbus Junction contributed about $5,000 to it. Cyril Carpenter was the commissioner.

The next bridge was the one at Toddtown, north of Columbus Junction. It was finished July 4, 1879, and cost something less than $15,000. Cyril Carpenter was commissioner.

The next bridge was at Yellow Banks, near Oakville, and the contract for it was let on February 21, 1895. It cost $14,860.40.

The next was the Hogback bridge, north of Wapello, the contract for which was awarded May 3, 1898, at $14,150.

This bridge had been talked of for a great many years, but had been bitterly opposed by some of the leading taxpayers of Grandview township, as well as by many others in the north part of the county. Jacob Lieberknecht, J. Cal. Duncan and Isaiah Downs were the supervisors who authorized it, and they did so on the condition that the petitioners would carry, without interest, $6,000 of bridge warrants from March 1, 1899 to March 1, 1900, and secure the right of way to and from the bridge. On January 8, 1898, D. C. Thomas, on behalf of the petitioners, filed a bond agreeing to comply with the conditions made by the board.

The next bridge was the Hoben bridge. This was ordered on April 3, 1889, the supervisors being Barton Garrett, H. M. Letts and S. F. Small. There was considerable controversy among the people in Union and Oakland townships as to where it should be located. Robert Carson, who had been very active in ...

pg 390

... securing the bridge, wanted it located in section 16-76-5; and on May 9, 1889, H. M. Letts was appointed commissioner to "contract for an iron bridge on the Iowa river between Union and Oakland townships in the south half of the northwest quarter of section 16-76-5."

Before Mr. Letts was ready to contract, there was a change in the membership of the board, Thomas Newell succeeding Mr. Garrett, and on January 8, 1890, the engineer was ordered to locate the bridge as near as practicable to McKean's old ferry landing, in section 21-76-5; and the bridge was built there that year.

The seventh bridge is in the extreme north end of the county, on the line between Louisa and Johnson counties, and was completed in 1911, at a cost of $9,000, one-third being paid by this county and the remainder by Johnson county.

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