[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20033]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE ROYAL GORGE SUSPENSION BRIDGE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2004

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to 
pay tribute to a Colorado landmark, the Royal Gorge Bridge. Canon City 
is celebrating the Bridge's 75th anniversary this year, and I would 
like to join my colleagues here today in recognizing this tremendous 
engineering achievement before this body of Congress and this Nation.
  Construction began on the Royal Gorge Bridge on June 5, 1929 and was 
completed in less than six months with no loss of life. Built using 
more than 100 tons of Colorado produced steel and 1,300 wooded planks, 
the bridge spans a record breaking 1,053 feet above the floor of the 
gorge. Since being dedicated on December 6, 1929, the bridge has seen 
more than 20 million visitors and has been the location for movie and 
commercial filming, and various recreational activities. Today the 
bridge is the center piece of a sprawling 360 acre theme park bordering 
the Arkansas River.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to recognize the 75th anniversary of 
the Royal Gorge Bridge. The bridge is a symbol of American ingenuity 
and engineering, and has served the State of Colorado for over three 
quarters of a century. It is with great pleasure that I recognize this 
landmark before this body of Congress and this nation today.

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