The reason the rushing River Ruess was a problem was because its path was here and there, in all the best places of the mountains. It took them for itself. These were the lowest places, the places that were easiest to get to, the places that people wanted to go. If one had a lot of time and was unencumbered, he could walk around to find other paths with no river crossing them. Some people though did not have extra time and did have heavy loads. These were the transporters of goods from the south of Europe to the north, and north to south. They were the Säumer. With loaded packs on beasts of burden, they took the things that people wanted to sell to the places where people wanted to buy. In the process they had to get over the great alps and find ways around the rushing rivers. Very, very few bridges existed, and the ones that did were a big risk, often getting washed away without caring if someone was on it with his valuable loads.
The people of Uri knew they had a good place to cross the alps, and many people would come through their land and leave some wealth behind, if - IF - the river did not stop them.
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