, 1866-01-15
CLARK STREET BRIDGE.
A New Bridge to be Erected-Meed OF
Similar Improvements In Other
Quarters

At The last regular meeting Of 1he Common Coun
cal, held on Monday evening, the Board Of Public
Works. submitted m ordinance Tor the construction
Of pivot bridge to replace the old one now In use
over the river At Clark street. The ordinance and
Recommendation OF the board were referred TO the
Committee On Harbor and Bridges, consisting oi
Aldermen Holden, Barrett and Clark, and these
gentlemen having g1ren'the subject due considesa'
ton. have determined to rrport in tavor Of the i'm
pruTcmcnt-
The plans prepared BY The Board OF Public
Works design tho construction Of bridge prpvi
ded with wooden braces, but strong iron chords
The braces are TO be arranged so that they can be
taken ort and replaced with new ones at small
eost md thort space OF time 90 thai the bridge
can Be maintained In good order without eeriopsfy
interrnping the travel or involving my conside1a
The Board also recommends the construction o1
Substantial stone pier replaee the present rick
1he es.tmsied cost OF the improvement il 1000,
and 70 defray this e1pense It f. recommended that
the Comptroller be authorized to efret losn ia
that amount.
hls sincerely to b hoped that the Council at An
early date will rauiy thie action Of its Committee
and get the noyc1nent under way, 20 As to ensure
ls completion before the opening OF navigation, -
needed.
Fo1 many months past # has bean evident that
The bridge nov IN qse It Clssk street was rapidly b.
tenders have been compelled tS ,rcat Il with The
utoet de]icacy, feeling that The ellgbteet Jerk or
inequality oi pressure wou}d prodpec second Rn1h
Street co9tf7tNps and coDsiEu them to ya4lous
comfortable poslt.ons, among the dehria.
Al present. the bridge Is reported By the Super
tnndent to be quite rotten and no longer safe fo!
heavy ttaSel or cTcn for the ordinary purposes Of
commercial tr1f1c
While the city AthTs are engaged In the con-
ttoernion Of this subject they viii do we'll to turn
tbfit ateutton to some other qnarteSs where there
ts equal room for Improvement At Madison
street the dllspidated structure has already SINK
some eighteen Inches, and promises, ere lonR, TO
its present position and the river beneath. The
Stadutt. ovef the railroad at this point, has re-
pe1tedly been reported to be liable at any moment
10 give way, U submitted to any more serious
Prefshte than an empty express wacou OF Wheel
barrow. Then farther touth, The bridges Il Po1k.
Iwelth md Eighteenth streets are even in wo1se
condition than tbosc mentioned They arc an
daneerons a. they are useless; To open either of
c7pre them IN any vehicle OF any weight seriously
endangera the hfe and limb OF the occupant
In rtl2tton to the structure IT Twn1fth street. 4
Judgment has already been rendered against the
city, for damage. 81. tatned by The death Of man,
way, preciphail1s him into The Eivef.
There Il one lien o!inpfovement which Rppareut-
J has been ose-looken and that IL the construction
Of Eome Euasds or protection 10 prevent peopla
f1om crossing the bridge while II IL beng turned.
Sever1l accidents hare occurred for ant OF such
arrangement One such ezse rcdnlted the past
week 1u verdict Of s, 900 aRainst the city, IN q
ant which has been pending for some mcnths
The commencement of Inc era of improvement
Is aute for eong7asphtioo, bet let the good work
be closely followed up.