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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1887)
WILLAMETTE RIVER BRIDGE AT PORTLAXD. MORE than sixteen years ago, Ste phen Maybell, then a young and untutored bard of some native genius, who resided in East Fortland, ventured the prediction, that, among the early achievements of the progressive spirit of enterprise, a bridge would be constructed across the Willamette river, at Portland. This theme he duly cele brated in verse, and it has passed into the permanent literature of the vapor ous land of Webfoot Once upon a time, when suddenly seized with the glow and fervor of poetic inspiration, Mr. Maybell dashed off a poem, many lines in length, in which the prediction was breathed (in fact, it was repeated at the close of each stanza) that the romantic Willam ette would be spanned by a bridge, and that we should all "see it yet" The opening verse ran in soft, mellifluous numbers, as follows : Behind the pine hal nunk the win, And darkness hunjf oVr Oregon, When on the hanks o' Willamette A youth was neon to set and set, And net and sing unto the tnnon A wild, yet sweet, athetic tune "They're ?oinjr to build, 1 feel it, yet, A bridge aerM the Willamette." What once only existed in the dreams of the young bard's imagination, and took the shape and form of impassioned song, has now become, after the lapse of years, a palpable reality. In all truth, the doggerel, which, by common court esy, may be dignified by the appellation of " poetry," was indited in a scrio-cVjinic style, and reads much more like a satire than a sincere prediction; nevertheless the poet has, thoughtlehly or otherwise, written himself down a genuine proph et After encountering almost nuralier. less impediments, and waging a long, ex pensive legal warfare, tho enterprise and determination of a few men of means have overcome every olwtacle, and tho project of constructing a bridgo is now, virtually, an accomplished fact As these lines are !cing penned, the bridge, while not completed and ready for actual public service, is rapidly ap proaching the finishing strokes. Four of the spans are already in position, the roadway and walks on each side of the structure havo been laid, and tho other parts are being pushed toward an early completion. What principally remains to be accomplished, is the putting to gether and placing in position of tho huge draw. It is thought that ten days will be required to complete this work, after all tho Dcccssary materials have arrived. The greater part of tho draw is being manufactured in the East nd when the sections reach this city it will be a comparatively small Uk to put tho work together. The material is expec ted to arrive about tho twentieth of Feb ruary. I!y tho first of March, or during tho early part of tho month, at the very latest tho Morrison street bridgo will bo completed and re ady for traveL This is the present expectation of the company, should no unforeseen olwtacle arise. It is confidently believed that the applica tion for an injunction, now pending be fore the United Btatea court, will not re sult in any serious interference with the operations. Column upon column has ben writ ten on the subject of the bridge which is so soon to span the Willamette river,