For a number of years citizens residing in west Cedar Rapids and in the eastern part of the county made various attempts for a free bridge across the river. Much of the grain and produce came from Benton county and the western part of Linn county. A number of grain merchants and others were located on that side of the river and had their grain in storage at that place and were asking the railroad authorities for permission to erect freight houses on that side of the river. A number of citizens of Cedar Rapids who were interested in Kingston real estate also attempted this enterprise, believing that the time was not far distant before Kingston would become the more important town of the two. A petition was circulated for a free bridge across the Cedar river and presented to the board of supervisors to take the matter under consideration. At the January term, 1871, the board appropriated $14,000 for the purpose, providing that the city or citizens of Cedar Rapids, or both, should guarantee to furnish the balance of such sum as should be necessary to pay for a first-class iron bridge across the Cedar. It was further provided that no part of the county funds should be expended until the whole sum necessary had been raised by subscription or otherwise. The citizens of Cedar Rapids, and others interested in the city, at once circulated petitions for funds and also authorized the mayor of Cedar Rapids to call an election and vote on the question of issuing bonds to aid in the construction of said bridge. This petition was signed by S. C. Bever, one of the early bankers, and by more than fifty citizens wanting a bridge located at what is now First avenue, asking that the city vote bonds to the extent of $6,000, promising that the citizens would guarantee the balance for the erection of a bridge.
Another petition was signed by John F. Ely and about one hundred other citizens all interested in locating the bridge at the foot of Park avenue, now Third avenue. These gentlemen asked for the issuance of $12,000 worth of city bonds, and were willing to guarantee any additional sum necessary over and above the amount appropriated by the county and city, which they were to raise by private subscription. Thus, there were two factions within the city, one working against the other in the matter of the location of the bridge. These factions were composed, of course, of people who were interested in the location at a point that would be most advantageous to their private interests.
During the winter of 1870-71 it was very cold and severe until in March when it became suddenly warm. Heavy rains followed and the river on or about the first of March was very high and the ice commenced to move out. Large quantities of ice came rolling and surging down the stream and carried everything down the river. In a few days the toll bridge at First avenue went down, struck by one of the ice floes which made it collapse. The Bourne saw mill also became a total wreck, and more or less damage was done to all the mills along the river. On account of the disaster to the toll bridge all communication with Kingston was cut off and it became necessary to do something at once.
The city council was called together and the mayor called for an election. In this council sat J. J. Snouffer, Dr. Mansfield, Stephens, C. C. Cook, David Denlinger, E. S. Hill, James Bell, and E. Robbins, with Mayor Thomas Z. Cook. The city voted bonds to the extent of $12,000 by a majority vote of 483 for and 83 against the bond proposition. All this time E. Robbins, one of the aldermen, operated a small boat called the "Aurora," which had previously been used between this point and Vinton, as a ferry boat above the dam. It was so arranged that eight teams could cross at the same time.
About the same time Keech & Co. established a ferry boat that was operated by horse power attached to a cable stretched across the river.
JUDGE N. M. HUBBARD
The two men having the most to do with the building of this bridge were William Ure, a member of the board of supervisors, from Scotch Grove, and William Richmond, a part of the city council, who had charge of the entire work. These men devoted a great deal of their time in helping along the speedy construction of the bridge. The contract for the superstructure was let in April to Messrs. O'Hanlan and O'Hara at a cost of $22,000.00. The contract provided that the work should be done within ninety days from April 15th. The bridge proper was erected by the Canton Bridge Company, of Canton, Ohio, and cost about $20,000 for the abutment and piers. The other necessary masonry work made a total cost of $42,000. The bridge fund consisted of the following amounts: The county expended $15,000; city bonds, $12,000; subscriptions paid, about $16,000.
For many years this bridge was considered as a county bridge and all moneys used for repairs were paid from the county bridge fund; later it was looked upon as a city bridge, and repairs, etc., were paid for out of the city treasury. This bridge was completed August 15th and a celebration was had. It is still used and the bonds have long since been paid.