High School Opinion from Ottawa, Kansas • 33

Ill THE HIGH SCHOOL OPINION. was soon placed, wood works were put in for the roadway. When the bridge was finally completed, January 1869, it was the only suspension bridge west of Cincinnati. It was run as a toll bridge until it paid its debts. The city bought the bridge for $10,000 in city bonds and made it a free bridge in 1874.

The suspension bridge was believed to be unsafe in the spring of 1882, and later in the year was removed. The present bridge on Main street, stands on the abutments of the suspension bridge. Ottawa University. The origin of this University can be traced to the missionary work of Joseph Meeker. This energetic teacher, preacher and printer brought the first printing press to Kansas and used it effectively in the Ottawa mission on the Marias des Cygnes.

Through the efforts of Meeker's converts the University was organized, February 20, 1860, when the territorial legislation granted the school a charter. On the 21st of April, 1865, the trustees incorporated themselves under the laws of Kansas, the Ottawa University, a name preferred by the tribe and deemed appropriate by the trustees. In the spring of 1866 a good temporary building was procured. The building remained for one year when the new building of cut stone was begun, being finished in 1869, at a cost of School opened May 1, and continued until the fall of 1874, when the building was partially destroyed by fire. In 1876 it was again ready for occupancy.

The Indians retained their rights in the University until 1873, when they went to the Indian Territory and a separation of interests with the whites was effected. The first faculty was Prof. P. Fales, Miss Hatch and Miss Thomas. In 1866 the school was held in rented quarters on Hickory street and forty Indian students were in attendance.

In 1869 there were eighty-three students. Prof. Ward was at the head of the schools and held the position until called to the State Agricultural college in 1873. He was succeeded by Dr. E.

C. Anderson, who was president when the college building was injured by fire in 1874. The legislature on February 19, 1858, passed an act making- Minneola the capital of the territory. The town company built a large hotel of three stories at a cost of $8,000, and a hall where ihe legislature was to meet. Minneola seemed destined to become a great city But the territoriol officers refused to move there and questioned the legality of the act.

The constitutional convention met March 3, 1858. A motion was made that thev adjourn to meet at Leavenworth. This mo 'ion was carried after an all day contest. This ended the the town of Minneola. The town is now divided into farms.

The big hotel building was moved to Ottawa and set up at the corner of Main and Second. The Baptist church held meetings in the upstairs for two years and entertainments were held there for several years. Suspension Bridge. About 1866 the subject of a bridge across the Marais des Cygnes came before the minds of Ottawa's most enterprising citizens, The necessity of this bridge for the commercial interests of Ottawa was great both with regard to the country people and to the neighboring villages, for there was no way of crossing the river except by fording or by boating when the water vas high. But now the question of funds arose.

Ottawa was then but a small village, two years of age, and the country but thinly settled. The sturdy pioneers organized a joint stock company of which P. P. Elder was president, with a charter to build a toll bridge, and $10,000 was finally subscribed. The company thus formed employed an experienced civil engineer, Mr.

Hanes. of Maine. S. E. Lemon was one of the lively young men who secured employment in the construction of the bridge.

The large five inch cable was first laid on Main street, extending from the shore nearly to First street. It contained nearly 300 strands of annealed No. 9 wire, made in Worcester, Mass, to Kansas City and hauled by wagon to Otta wa. The monstrous cable was loaded on six wagons and hauled down over the south bank, across the river and up to the anchorage by two yoke of oxen. The cable.