Gate City’s Bridge to Nowhere—and the Heavyweight Who Saw a Future

Judge Francis Bear, of Gate City, is in Olympia in relation to school matters. “Our city is growing rapidly,” he said, “but our attention is directed mainly to raising sufficient money to build approaches to that bridge on Black River. The bridge cost $1080, the supposition being that the bridge would be complete. The county commissioners hold, however, that they agreed to aid in building the bridge, providing the Gate City people build the approach. As a consequence, the bridge stands alone, with an approach of about 150 feet of bottom land. Passengers manage to reach the bridge by means of a step-ladder. Nobody can travel over it, but there is one thing, it won’t wear out. The lack of the approach, however, occasions a travel by team of eight miles further, and directs an immense amount of trade to Centralia to the detriment of Olympia. The entire town turned out to see John L. Sullivan a few days since. John L. complimented us on the rapid growth of our city, and thought it a splendid place for a ring. If we can raise the $25,000 necessary, John L. will arrange with his managers to have his famous fight here next year, instead of New Orleans. He admired our opera house and school buildings, and thinks we will be the Denver of the Northwest.”