The Birmingham News from Birmingham, Alabama • 20

THURSDAY. AUGUST SI, 150 Birmingham's first Viaduct' erected 65 A. J. Hawkins and Edward Wise. Jr.

The structure was 1.000 feet long nd had an average width of 70 feet. Its highest point of clearance above the tracks was 22 feet. THE UNDERPASS at 20th Street was dedte-atedNov. 28. 131.

Two parades were held on this occasion. One moved from Five Points, the other from Woodrow Wilson Park. The processions met at the underpass and four little girls cut white ribbons that were stretched across the entrances. W. A.

Currie was master of ceremonies and Com mis i James M. Jones, Jr, spoke. Darius A. Thomas, president of the Chamber of Commerce, accepted the underpass in the name of the citizens of Birmingham. Mrs.

Cynthia Jones, wife of the commission president, dedicated the structure by breaking a bottle of Birmingham-made finger ale eat the est pier. THE ENTIRE grade separation projects made possible by (he 4 .080 000 bond issue the 22nd Street Viaduct and underpasses at 14th. 18th and 20th Streets was completed April IT, 1933. Total coat of these improvements was S2.570.38S.91 The Weatherly or First Avenue Viaduct as it was commonly called, had been deteriorating for years. A new span to replace it was agreed to bv the municipality.

the State Highway Department and the Federal Bureau of Roads. On March T. 149. Commissioner James W. Morgan started destruction of the old viaduct by striking it with a heavy hammer.

Birmingham's newest and finest viaduct now Ip It most complete. It will cost about 82.300,-000 and extends from 25th to 35th Streets. It is 83 fret wide and will have four traffic lanes years ago tion of an overpass was begun. This overpass was christened Aug. 5.

1915 John W. Sibley was master of ceremonies and talks were made by Commissioner John R. Hornady. -James J. Smith J.

H. P. DeWindt and Commissioner James Weatherly. Miss Pauline Carter Maben dashed a bottle of Avondale Spring water on the structure, naming it Weatherly Viaduct" The span cost 8220 000 and was built jointly by the railroads. Slow Sheffield Steel and Iron Company.

Birmingham Railroad. Light and Power Company and the City of Birmingham, ft was 2j832 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 21 feet high. The roadway was 40 feet wide, and there were two. 10-foot sidewalks. THE ORIGINAL 21st Street bridge, completed in 1891, had served its a e.

During George Ward's presidency of the City Com mini on. an agree- Jr John Taylor and W. E. Dickson. and City Engineer A.

J. Hawkins entered the structure at the north end is an automobile, crossed it and returned. It was built of reinforced concrete. was 1 400 feet long and 50 feet wide. It earned a 36-foot roadway and had two six-foot walks.

AS THE vehicular and pedestrian traffic increased coupled with the increase activity of the railroads and street railways, the need for further grade separation in the city was apparent. The City Commission asked for issuance of 84.000 000 in bonds for grade crossing abolition program Chi March 27. 1928. voters were favorable to the project, 8.042 for and 4.095 against. On Oct.

31, 1928. an agreement was reached between the city of Birmingham and the railroads for separate grades at 14th. 18th and 20th Streets and for building a viaduct at 22nd Street An engineering commission composed of the city engineer and representatives of the Louisville Nashville and the Southern Railroads was appointed to supervise all construction. The city issued bonds', the railroads agreed to redeem their pro rata share when due. The contract to erect the 22nd Street viaduct went to Millsap Parker on a bid of $180000.

Work was begun about Jan. 1. 1929. After It built them! As Birmingham grew and railroads expanded, the tracks became a problem. Bridges and underpasses were constructed for protection and regulation of vesicular and pedestrian traffic.

THE FIRST BRIDGE over a railway was erected in 1885 The latest, a massive gleaming steel-hnd-concrete spaa on First Avenue. North, will be dedicated Saturday In 1884. the Elytoo Land Company began to develop tt South-Side properties, including the building of a street railroad. Safe passage across the railway tracks was needed for north -south street cars la a contract signed with the municipality, the Elytoo Land Company agreed to erect a bridge 22nd Street without coat to the Bourbon MBV VJJy KENTUCKY'S FAVORITE STRAIGHT BOURBON EAttY TIMES DtSTIUESY COMPANY. tOUISVHK KtNTUCKV THIS WHISKY IS 4 TfASS OlD 94 81008 Charles Braswell Sid Braswell REMOVAL it SALE it Xef 22 Braswell Easy Terms OPEN AN 1 ACCOUNT 1 AT BRASWELLS CHOICE 10-PIECE MAHOGANY BRASWELL'S Downtown Store Is on the Move Look of the pictures.

Choose the suite y6u like best and drop in of your nearest Bros well store for easy terms and courteous service. Compare our values and see why more ond more friends ore mode of Braswell's every day. Braswell's 5-Star Terms During Our Removal rAAAA.