CAPE GIRARDEAU DEDICATES RIVER BRIDGE

The opening of Cape Girardeau's Mississippi River Bridge 70 years ago was cause for celebration.

Thousands of area residents attended the dedication on Sept. 3, 1928.

Missouri Gov. Sam A. Baker and Illinois Gov. Len Small were among the dignitaries who spoke at the dedication, held at the west approach to the bridge.

In his dedication speech, Baker praised the efforts of Cape Girardeau residents in securing the bridge and then urged his listeners to vote for a $75 million bond issue to finance a state highway construction program.

The dedication began with a parade through downtown Cape Girardeau featuring floats representing area towns -- Benton, Caruthersville, Charleston, Gideon, Hayti, Illmo-Fornfelt (now Scott City), Jackson, Kennett, Malden, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Anna, Ill.

Agatha Mumma of Gideon was crowned queen of the Cape Girardeau bridge.

A pageant was presented, telling the history of the area.

An airplane piloted by Lt. J.P. Sparks of the 110th Observation Squadron flew under the bridge.

St. Louis area police officers were hired to help with crowd and traffic control.

The only disappointment was that the planned fireworks display had to be scrapped.

The president of the Thearle-Duffield Fireworks Co. wrote to apologize for his employee's absence.

Apparently, the employee had fallen into "bad company" in Chicago and missed his train connection.

In 1928, there was plenty of reason for area residents to celebrate the opening of the toll bridge.

At the time, the bridge was the only traffic bridge on the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Memphis.

The bridge, including approaches, extended more than 4,700 feet. It weighed 43,000 tons and cost $1.6 million.

Spring flooding of record levels delayed construction. One man drowned, and another was struck by lightning.

It took 72,000 bags of cement, 160,000 rivets and 406 foundation piles.

An average of 120 men were employed for 20 months during construction.

Before the bridge was built, people had to board a ferry to cross the river at Cape Girardeau. Louis Lorimier, the city's founder, had one of the first licenses for a ferry operation.

Ferries remained in operation through the Civil War and up until the completion of the bridge.

In 1925, the Cape Girardeau ferry carried 17,200 cars.

Evangelist Billy Sunday, who held a revival in Cape Girardeau, urged President Calvin Coolidge in April 1926 to sign the bill granting permission for the bridge to be constructed.'

The president signed the bill on May 4, 1926.

The bridge was built thanks to the efforts of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and local citizens.

More than 1,000 people bought stock in the bridge. In all, area residents bought more than $400,000 worth of stock to help finance the project.

The opening of the bridge initially was short-lived. After the bridge was dedicated, it was closed so pavement work could be completed on the Illinois side.

It reopened on Sept. 12, 1928, and more than 200 cars paid the toll to cross.

BRIDGE FACTS

*Total length of bridge, including approaches: 4,744 feet and 4 inches

*Total length of steel work: 3,423 feet and 10 inches

*Missouri approach: 487 feet; Illinois approach: 1,029 feet and 3 inches.

*Number of spans: 8

*Length of continuous trusses from pier 1 to pier 3: 1,342 feet.

*Height from bottom of deepest pier to highest port on steel: 262 feet, 11 inches

*Clearance over high water of 1927: 65.6 feet; over low water, 99 feet

*Deepest pier is 71 feet and 7 inches below normal low water

*Width of roadway between curbs: 20 feet

*Amount of concrete used: 15,752 cubic yards