1924: Work progresses on new Meridian Highway bridge

June 17, 1909

HARTINGTON — In conjunction with the election to be held on the question of building a new school house or an addition to the present one, various figures become of interest. The total valuation of the district is in the neighborhood of $335,000, of which $210,000 is within the city of Hartington.

The railroad valuation in the district is about $50,000. The district’s rate of school tax is 12 mills for general purposes, two mills for bonds. The limit of the rate for general purposes is 25 mills. Randolph, Coleridge, Laurel and Magnet and a number of other country districts pay the full 25 mills.

June 25, 1914

HARTINGTON — Peter Goeden of Menominee had the misfortune while riding down hill very fast on his bicycle to turn a few somersaults and sprain his wrist severely.

June 26, 1924 June 26, 1924

HARTINGTON — Records show that Cedar County had more than four times as many births as deaths in 1923. There were 445 births and just 105 deaths during the year.

NEW YORK — Editor J.P. O’Furey, publisher of the Cedar County News was chosen as the secretary of the Nebraska delegation at the Democratic National Convention.

June 26, 1924

CENTER — George Lawrence, a resident of Knox County, was acquitted of a charge of murder by a jury here last Saturday.

Lawrence had been accused of killing Francis Wabashaw with a club, but in his District Court trial, he contended that the club was thrown by his brother Henry, and that it struck Wabashaw by accident. The trial was a sensational one with the wife of the defendant being one of the principle witnesses.

June 26, 1924

YANKTON, S.D. — The pouring of concrete for the highway deck of the Meridian Highway bridge at the north end of Cedar County was started last Monday, the first pouring being made on the lift span that day.

Work was started on the lift span first so that the full weight of this span could be learned before the counterweights are put in place. The job of putting in the cables for the lift span has been completed, and it will not be long until that span is ready.

An operator’s house is to be placed on steel supports projecting from the east side of this span for the convenience of the engineer who will raise and lower the span to accommodate river traffic.

The work of paving the highway deck of the bridge, after the lift span has been completed, will start at the Cedar County end and work across to the Yankton side.

The concrete will be mixed on the Dakota side of the river, hoisted in a tower to the level of the deck, and then carried by dump cars on a narrow gauge railroad to the place it is needed. After the concrete has set, an asphalt surface will be put on top of it.

Concrete was poured for the South Dakota approach on Tuesday with the pillars being poured first. It is hoped that the deck itself can be poured in a short time.