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STATE OFFICIALS ATTEND OPENING OF NEW BRIDGEThe nmv KJghlh n venue bridge across tl« Cedar iTs’tr. built by the Iowa liigh-ray com mission, was opt* lied to traffic Thursday afternoon with a brief ccre-iiicny nttbnried by local and state ofii-rlsts.At 2:15 o'clock B. B. Hicfccnloopcr, lieutenant-governor, snipped the narrow while tape stretched from rail to ran at the east end ar.d a caravan of cars began to streQin across the newly completed span. A police car was first, Wowed hy an automobile carrjlns the highway comimisioocis. City officials rmd others followed. A linn lt;if f6 cars drove ncrro the bridge os it was apcTud.UUre Marshal], president of the Chamber of Culilmrrco, Introduced Randal? MeLwn, chairman of the iowa !3tnto Highway commission, wlwln turn presented the brids-e to KdeuL-Gov. Kickeulooper. Ml bum rrfcrnxt to the project ns marking another forward step in the progress of Iowa's road building program.Htckeuloupe/; who appeared for Gov. Wilson, coH th? bridge marked a new unit in Iowa's transportation system.A luncheon at the Roosevelt hotel at 12:30 p. m. preceded the bridge opening. The following were called on for remarks: Randall Mclson, of Hum* boi-dL; A. A. Hurst, Maquokcta, and B.B. Laird, SfcLney, commission members; Kreti white of Ames, chief engineer; Mr. lEIckenlooper, Ir. John R. Gardner, Urm county representative, and FranfcC. Byers, state senator.A. J, Smith and J, f. Smith, sons of the first toll bridge keeper In Cedar Rapids, wox* present. Thclr father, W. S. Smith, was toll muster on the first pant mm crossing constructed here In 1357. The oxijhuU free bridge, built In lD, was taken away by flood. .A per-nsanent toll hrtdge was later built In 1350.te'Jls Melsha, secretary of Typographical union No. 102 and an employee of The Tribun? publishing Co., owns one of the tokens used by pedestrians on the old toll bridge. It resembles the old Indian head penny. The coin bears the inscription, Cedar River Bridge Co,1’ around the rndlati head. On the opposite side are the words, Pass Onn Frxitrran Two ptekcta, representing Operating Engineers local union No. 301 and Structural Iron Woifcere local No. 89 with signs stating I he bridge had been built by non-union labor, were at the opening*. The work wws done by the rcoss Construction Co. of Des Moines. The only work dcKie by the city of Cedar Rapids won In connection with the approaches and this part of the job was handled by union labor.Indlexplt;forovei the the figu V ere: eigi so-( side has sale to Iogelies T rea-the nut son pat the slip wit I sin do! to ifia c for mil sonawthehitTbbe
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Cedar Rapids Tribune

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US

Fri, Aug 11, 1939

Page 7

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Anonymous

IA, USA 02 Jul 2024

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