The Paducah Evening Sun
Saturday, October 2, 1909
Burlington Bridge is Located at Metropolis and Soundings Being Taken for Piers – Wabash Coming
Dredge Whistle Calls Out Fire Department of Illinois Town When it Arrives to Start Work.
Metropolis, Ill,. Oct. 2. --- In a recent conversation a gentleman high up in the local affairs of the Burlington said to one of our prominent citizens that the Burlington people do not desire to sell the dwelling houses they recently bought in Metropolis --- they are to be used by the company in housing their bridge employees during the period of construction.
The boat now being used on the river is for the location of bridge piers and not for the location of a bridge crossing, as that has already been definitely and finally fixed.
During this conversation the Burlington official said that the railroad wants this man's property as the road needs it for bridge purposes and therefore, the gentleman should look for another location for a home at once.
The bridge crossing will be at the foot of Broadway running directly through Franklin Park.
Alarmed the Town.
Metropolis, Ill., Oct. 2. (Special) – The whistle for the Burlington barge that is to drill for the foundation of the piers of the bridge, arrived and was placed into shape Wednesday evening. Capt. Joe Woodard then blew the salute to the town. It was mistaken, however for a fire alarm and the fire department responded and made a record run to the waters' edge to find that it was only the whistle saluting the town, and announcing that they were now ready to begin on the pier location. They are now in active operation. They have selected as a bridge sight the front of Broadway and if a substantial bottom can be found that will be the place where the bridge will be. One of the head officials was here this week and let out the news that the location of the bridge would be here at Metropolis and that was the first thing settled in building this road. He said that the houses recently purchased by the railroad would be used as dwellings for bridge workers. The road is being pushed from both ends. About six miles of dump at this end is being made by three different sub-contractors and as many at the Herrin end. This will be an up-to-date road for they are putting in their trussels and water ways in concrete.
After the road is complete they will run tracks to the rivers edge to handle the river trade until their bridge is completed when, the last reports say, it will cross and connect with the Tennessee Central and a town proposed to be located at the Kentucky end of the bridge and called South Metropolis.
This road will then pass through Paducah and continue south and connect with the Burlington in Tennessee, making a through line to the gulf. These are the plans as they now are, so far as is known, and will be carried out unless circumstances change them.
It is reported that the Burlington has more then 200 acres of land out of Metropolis. This is evidently for the purpose of erecting shops here. The Burlington has opened the way for one of the largest railroad terminals here in the central west.
Wabash Is Coming.
A few days ago two well-dressed strangers, supposed to be Wabash people, ate their lunch at the lunch room of W. H. Hayden. While eating they were talking of the railroad prospects for this place. One of them was heard to say that the Burlington would have to hurry or the Wabash would beat them here. It is a known fact that the Wabash has been surveying south from Harrisburg with the intention of crossing the river here, when the bridge is completed, but their direct course is not known, but it is supposed that they are also looking forward to entering the south for a part of the southern trade.
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