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ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Main Street Bridge
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WHS_005_601
Main Street Bridge, 1898
Wiggenhorn Building, 102-104 W Main, 1898 (later became
site of Wisconsin National Bank)
Watertown
Steam Laundry, 2 E Main, 1898 (in 1905 became site of new Masonic Temple building)
Scott, Donald D, resturant and ice
cream, 4 E Main, 1898
Diekoff, Henry L, saloon signage,
approx 5 E Main, 1898
1847 The Bridge is Old
and Unsafe
12 22 We have been
requested to call the attention of our citizens to the necessity of taking some
steps for the erection of a new bridge in place of the present one at this
place. The bridge is old and unsafe – it
has been strained and weakened repeatedly by the element in which is rests; and
it is more than probable that the high water of another spring will sweep it
away. Now is the time to prepare for a
new bridge, while the ice affords a safe means of crossing the river, the old
one should be torn away and a new and substantial one erected. If it is done during the winter, no
inconvenience will be occasioned; but it it is left
until spring, the business of our town will be materially affected by the
inconvenience which the building of a new bridge must necessarily create at
that season. Rock River Pilot
1856
02 21 The Gas Company
is laying the main pipe under the bridge in order to cross the river and form a
connection with Main Street and West Avenue. So severe and steady has been the cold of the
past few weeks, that is has been impossible to do anything towards completing
the Gas Works. All the iron is now here,
and a large number of skillful and experienced mechanics are waiting to improve
the first opportunity that occurs to resume operations and complete the works
as soon as it is practical to do so. WD
05 01 New Bridge Proposed
On motion of Heber Smith, it was
resolved that the new Main Street bridge proposed to be built over Rock river
shall be sixty-six feet broad, with foot-walks twelve feet wide on each
side. WD
09 25 Great caution should be used in crossing
Main Street bridge at all times, especially in the night. It is well known that a part of it has been
taken down, and large opening left through which people may fall. Some accidents have already happened,
fortunately none of a fatal nature. Until the old bridge is entirely superseded
by the new, no one should attempt to cross the river when barriers are placed
across the road as a warning that the bridge is not passable. The stone piers of the new Main Street Bridge
are now being laid. They appear to be
solid and durable specimens of masonry.
We have no doubt that they will last as long as they are wanted. WD
12 11 The work on Main
street bridge is progressing more rapidly
now. The last set of arches is being
put in, and a passage track has been laid, making crossing far more safe and
easy. We are told that there is to be no
unnecessary delay in the completion of this important structure. The public inconvenience occasioned by the
interruption of a highway so constantly used as this
is has been very serious. WD
1858
09 23 Fine for driving
over bridge faster than a walk WD
09 30 Bridge used as
race track WD
11 11 Ordinance relating to racing horse teams over bridge WD
1859
03 31 The Home Eating Saloon, opened by
Bernhard Miller, building on the north side of Main St bridge
09 01 Main Street Bridge is now being
thoroughly repaired and when finished will be once more a safe structure for
teams and wagons to pass over without danger of having planks fly up and tip
over carriages or frighten horses. To
get the first cost out of that institution we must use it fast and use it
much. As there is no reason to believe
that posterity will ever do anything for it, so there is just as little reason
to suppose posterity will ever have the use of it. That makes it all even and right. WD
09 08 F Werner Bathing
Rooms, under his Barber Shot, building on the north side of Main St bridge WD
09 08 A. Trank, for
repairing Main Street Bridge, $4.00 [Common Council] WD
1870
1870, Werner bldg
(with canopy, north side of bridge, washed away in 1881 flood
1878
06 19 Main Street bridge is receiving a covering of new plank, under the supervision
of N. Nettleton, the contractor. This is
a much needed improvement. WD or
WR
1881 Main Street Bridge, Destruction of, 1881
flood
Phoenix engine house, bell-tower, distant right
Reconstruction of, after
flood of 1881
04 07 Main Street Bridge has been partly
carried away. The ice, high water and
swindling contractors were more than she could stand. WD
04 20 A Poor Thing. Now that Main street bridge
has been laid open to inspection by the disaster that befell it last night,
there is scarcely any one who looks at it but what is thoroughly disgusted with
its manner of construction. It was evidently never built with a view to beauty,
strength or durability as shown by the lightness of the timbers and the
bungling workmanship displayed in its erection. We hope there is a
determination to have it replaced by a more substantial and handsome structure. WR
04 27 At the regular meeting of the Board of Street
Commissioners held Monday evening, the following resolution introduced by Comissioner Voss, was adopted: Resolved, That it is the sense of the Board
that an Iron bridge be built across the Rock River, connecting Main Street with West Avenue, and that the Committee on
Streets and Bridges present a plan at the next regular meeting of this Board,
embodying the following principles, to wit:
That the bridge be shortened 35 feet on each end, and new abutments be
built for a bridge of 36 feet wide, and also a pier, in the middle, the whole
to be covered by an Iron arch bridge of 2 spans, of 66 feet each.
Ought
not our good city fathers to go a little slow on their project as contemplated
by the above resolution? To properly
carry out these plans for an iron gm bridge would involve an expenditure of
from $12,000 to $16,000. In view of the additional expenditures that must be
made to put other bridges within the city limits in order, would it be wise in
us to go to such a great expense at this time in building a bridge at Main
Street? We believe a calm survey of the
field would dictate that such an outlay as is outlined in the resolution would
be both unwise and uncalled for under our present circumstances, and we do not
hesitate to affirm that our tax-payers generally take this view of the
matter. The present Main Street bridge can be restored to as good condition as before for an
outlay of not more than $800. Under
ordinary circumstances it would be then be good for ten years more. By that time, perhaps, we would be better
able to afford the luxury of a handsome iron bridge. Besides all this, shall business suffer and
languish waiting perhaps five months for completion of an iron structure. WR
05 04 At a special meeting of the Board of
Street Commissioners, held last evening, the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved,
That the Committee of Streets and Bridges is hereby directed and authorized to
build a wagon bridge across Rock river connecting the two extreme bents now
standing of Main Street by a bridge not to exceed sixteen feet in width, and to
use as much of the old timbers of Main Street bridge as are available.
We do
not think our community stands ready to endorse the action of the Board as
embodied in the above resolution. It is
calculated that the temporary bridge will involve an outlay of about $300. Three times this amount will restore Main
Street bridge to its former condition for travel, a
small sum compared with what an iron bridge will cost such as the Board are
evidently aiming at erecting. In our
present situation the former conditions of things in the bridge line is good
enough. Let us repair Main Street bridge
and bide our time for a better one. The
city will be well repaid for waiting a few years before building an iron bridge. Just now war prices have to be paid for iron
bridges, owing to the great demand, and we have no doubt that by waiting even
one year thousands of dollars could be saved in the matter. The restoration of Main Street is what is
demanded at this time - anything done on a mere temporary character will be
simply throwing so much money away. The
Street Commissioners should see the matter in this light. WR
WD 05 12
1881
The watery chasm between the east and
west sides of the river on Main Street is being bridged by a temorary
structure. An iron brige will supercede
it as soon as possible. So say the
powers that be. There is a vast diffence
between work done under contract and the same work done by the day. We have reference to Main Street bridge --
what is left of the old, and what is now being done on the temporary
structure. Kind reader, do not judge
harshly.
WD 05 19 1881
The public meeting, called to
instruct the Board of Commissioners in regard to the Bridges, we are informed,
was not an entire success. A resolution to leave the matter in the hands of the
proper authorities was unanimously adopted, after which the crowd adjourned
itself rather unceremoniously, and without delay.
WD 05 26
1881
Proceeding of the Bd. of St. Comm
A proposal from the Wrought Iron
Bridge Co., Canton, Ohio, for building an iron bridge on Main street was read and on motion placed on file with the other
proposals alrady received.
On motion from Com. Voss a matter of
considering the building of Main street bridge was made a special order for a
meeting to be held next Monday, May 30th at 8 o'clock PM.
WD June 30,
1881
We will wager a new hat that the proposed piers for
Main Street bridge will not be as good and durable as
the ones it is supposed to pull down.
"Length of piers to be 34 feet, with ice-breakers
extended 6 feet at the base, and the same to be carried to a height of 12 feet
from bottom of river at an angle of 45 degrees.” Now let us know the length of the wall above
icebreaker with an angle of 45 degrees taken out to a height of 12 feet .
Did any member of Street Commissioners know that Herman Bentert
Co could not furnish stone 18 inches thick. Perhaps not.
Shakespeare said: "Damned be
he who moves these bones." We say, wicked is he who pulls down those walls. We have reference to the Main street bridge
piers.
Why have the icebreakers only 12 feet in height, when
the water was much higher than that when the ice went out this Spring?
Bentert Co, Herman Bentert
WR 07 29 1881
The erection of a bridge connecting
Main Street with West avenue has finally been settled
upon. This morning, the Board of Street Commissioners closed a contract with J.
A. Burmhom, agent for the King Iron Bridge Company, of Cleveland, for a plate
girder bridge composed of 3 spans each 66 feet long and 36 feet wide, costing
$8,360. The piers and abutments of old Main Street bridge
will be used. Some additional stone work to be built on top. We believe this
settles the bridge question a manner satisfactory to our citizens generally.
Wttn Rep Oct 26, 1881
FALLING
OF A DERRICK.
An accident that only through a
miracle was not accompanied by a great fatality occurred last Thursday
afternoon on Main Street bridge, directly in front of Hawkin's
building. The heavy derrick that is in use of the erection of the new bridge,
while being moved to the end of the bridge fell over and came down with a
tremendous crash, escaping the front of Hawkin's store only by a few inches,
but in its descent struck Mrs. B. H. Robinson, of Brookfield, whose husband is
temporarily employed at the Milwaukee and St. Paul carpenter shop at the
Junction. Fortunately for Mrs. Robinson the wooden railing broke the fall of
the derrick or she would have been instantly crushed to death. As it was, Mrs.
Robinson received a terrible blow on the shoulder and head and one of the
spikes struck her under the arm inflicting an ugly wound. Mrs. Fred Spinkwho
was with Mrs. Robinson at the time, had one of her knees badly peeled by one of
the large ropes that struck her. Mrs. Robinson was conveyed to her home at the
Junction and received prompt medical attention. Her wounds, although very
serious, are not necessarily fatal, but even under the most favorable
circumstance it will take some weeks before she can get up from her bed. Taking
into consideration the number of people passing and repassing while the derrick
is at work, it is great wonder that the accident was not more serious in its
results.
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1898
Main
Street bridge, view from, to the south, Image of, WHS_006_387
1904
Peters
Shanty on middle of bridge went out with flood, ice jam.
1906
02 29 Al
Kraft, chief engineer of the Milwaukee Electric
Railroad, and Light Co. with his force has for the past few
days been examining and testing the Main Street bridge for the purpose of
ascertaining its strength and the probability of its being strong enough to
hold fifty tons, which would be the maximum weight it would have to sustain
when the trolley line was in operation and the cars passing to and fro over the
structure. WL
1908
08 28 First electric car crossed Main Street bridge. WG
09 11 Rebuilding of bridge completed WG
1911
1967 Reconstruction of
1983
08 08 Named “Evelyn
A. Rose Bridge” WDT
1986
08 08 Retired Watertown High School history teacher
Myra MacInnis chosen to have her name given to the
Main Street bridge, nominated by Saturday Club. WDT
1996
1998
08 08 Named “Lawrence J. Mistele”
Bridge WDT
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Main
Street Bridge |
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Main
Street Bridge |
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Main
Street Bridge |
View from,
looking north, Fuehman Brewery, WHS_004_NT_116 |
Cross References:
Peter Brooks’ barber shop and candy store,
in (on) middle of Main St bridge, south side of
