The cost of a structure which is to take the place of the Beaver Bridge

The subject of this treatise is the cost of a structure, which is to take the place of the Beaver Bridge. This bridge is located on the St. L and San F. Rwy., four miles southwest of Rolla and it spans a deep valley nearly a 1000 ft. in width in the bottom of which runs a small stream The course of roadway over the bridge is N. 24 1/2 E. The old wooden Howe Truss bridge, being no longer considered perfectly safe, on account of its age, measure was taken to supply its place with some new structure that, with the least expenditure, would carry the road safely over the valley. Now the question before us is this: whether in this case it will cost more to build an Iron Truss bridge, or to construct an embankment, using as the former the peers of the old bridge --page 2