Article from
The Ansgar
Lutheran
July 31, 1929 page 13.
Bridge Dedication at Blair, Nebr.
July 26, 1929
 |
|
The Abraham
Lincoln memorial Bridge at Blair, Nebraska |
Such a crowd! But no wonder, [is] today the Blair bridge
was officially opened and dedicated and this [naturally] this
is is an event of far importance to this community.
Blair is entertaining today Governor Weaver of Nebraska,
Governor Hammil of Iowa, Congressmen [ ] and
Howard of Nebraska, and congressmen Campbell of Iowa well as
scores of other distinguished guest from near and far. The
actual ceremony of opening the took place at 10:30 morning. A
blue ribbon had been stretched across the center of the
bridge. At the appointed time, the governors, with their
parties, advanced from their respective sides, met at the
center and the governors congratulated each other on the
completion of this artery of communication between the two
states. Miss Nebraska and Miss Iowa then untied the ribbon
that opened the bridge, while bands were playing and
aeroplanes [sic] were cavorting over the bridge. A large grove
on the Iowa side had been beautifully decorated for the
occasion. Here an immense crowd had gathered for the occasion.
Both governors and several other prominent speakers addressed
the vast audience, and all emphasized the importance of this
medium of communication, not only to the immediate localities
but to the country at large. Our fellow townsman, Reed
O'Hanlon, who is president of the bridge company, was master
of ceremonies for the day. After the program, the most
distinguished visitors, numbering about 350, were taken to
Dana College where the ladies of our local church had prepared
a sumptuous spread for them. While our ladies are not in the
habit of serving governors and congressmen, they did
wonderfully well and went about the task as if they had been
trained for that class of catering. Dana College was pleased
to have this distinguished assemblage under its roof, and many
of the visitors spoke unstinted words of praise of the
facilities afforded by our modern and commodious new school
buildings.
The Blair bridge will undoubtedly mean much for Blair and
vicinity. Many of our people have dreamed for years of a
bridge across the Missouri River at this point, but few have
ever expected their dream to come true, at least for many
years to come. Much credit is due Mr. Reed O'Hanlon of this
city, who pulled this pet project out of dreamland and put it
on a sane business foundation. But the bridge is not of local
importance only. So far as east and west transportation is
concerned, its importance has a national scope. The Lincoln
Highway will, in the near future, be routed over the new
bridge. This will save the traveller [sic] going east or west
a distance of twenty-eight miles, and it will also save them
from the discomfort of travelling [sic] or passing through the
congested districts of Council Bluffs and Omaha.
But the opening of this new bridge is also an event of
importance to Dana College. Students and visitors, who travel
by auto over the Lincoln Highway to Dana from the east may
save fifty miles by taking advantage of the new bridge. Thus
Dana is now fifty miles closer to points in Iowa and Illinois
in a latitude east and northeast of Blair.
N. T. Lund. |
