The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-03-12
Letters from the People.

u6GG6ES HULL Lut L tUpIo'
The Proposed Market Street Bridge.
Editor Of the Register:
There appeared, few days since, q
communication in the Intelligeneer, pur-
porting to be written by Democrat,
to which, with your permission, l would
like to reply. on Hz.4nl!s
I The correspondent says the action OF
the Council is queer in advocating the
construction of the above bridge, and
his reason is that the Main street bridge
is sufficient for every purpose. Now, it
is we'll known that the proposed bridge
has been req uired, and the question of
building it has been agitated for years,
and last year committee was appoint
ed to inquire into the matter, and even
examined upon some six or seven plans;
and so far from the action of the last
meeting of the Council being so hasty,
as would appear from that communica-
ton, that, although the resolutions were
offered in the terms he states, it was not
acted upon, and no committee has yet
been appointed, for the reason that the
lower branch adjourned before the reso-
luton came down from theupper cham
Der, and therefore too late for the COM
mittee to be appointed. B
The writer wilfully ignores the fact
that other business, besides that of the
election of Health Officer, was trans
acted before the resolution regarding
the bridge was submitted, so that all
his virtuous indignation respecting the
impropriety of bringing the matter up
is quite wasted, for if other business Of
general interest to tho city be attended
10, why not this 7
1t is true some other plan of getting
toi the cemetry is required other than
that at present used, or some repairs
upon the present route made, but what
has that to do with this bridge ques-
ton! .ss. ..s...
He undertakes to prove that the
Market street bridge is not re-
quired, and yet says sit is now
given out that the proposed bridge
is Sto be an iron bridge and not
stone as it certainly ought to be-" Well,
if it ought to be of stone, it is required;
but if not required it ought not to be of
any material whatever. He says also,
"of course some of our foundrymen will
get the work to do, as the Council would
rather pay an extra price than let it be
done abroad" Well that is quite right,
provided the extra price is not too
much; but he omits to mention what is
well known, that an iron bridge wOuld
cost at least $4,000 less than stone
one, which SUN would far more than
pay for wooden bridge, in the place
where he does advocate one, that is if
built upon proper principle and not as
the Zane street bridge was built, and
which would last for at least ten years.
AS far as selling B. & o. r. r. stock
is concerned, is it not better to use the
available funds of the city in making
needed improvements, and thereby ad-
ding to the wealth of the city, than
hoard tup waiting for the paltry divi-
denils realized from it at present, while
the public have to put up with such =
dangerous footway, and the improve
ment is all the more required now, when
it is evident that the street railroad
project will be carried out; and how
long does lie suppose the Main street
bridge will last I 1t is now not much
better than Il heap of loose stones, and
it is continually settling.
The proposed bridge at Market street
has been generally advocated by the
citizens of Wheeling, without regard to
party, and even the Inteltigencer has
published statements rejecting upon
the dangerous condition of the present
bridge, and which becomes worse every
day. We had better 60 to work, pull
it down, and put up a serviceable
bridge at once which shall be q credit
to the city, than let it remain to fall
down some day, which will cost more
money than would build two or three
bridGes-cost us, perhaps, several valu-
able lives, and have no bridge after all.
There has been too much makeshift
policy in the city already, and the two
great works Of the City Council last
year, viz: the new water pipe and hav-
ing the wharf paved, is worth more to
the city than all that was effected for five
years previously. We see how an enter
prising spirit pays in other cities, why
not in thisi ..l
As for the Democratic party falling
to pieces from sheer rottenness, as he
pleasantly prophecies, it would, per-
haps, if it were composed of such Demo-
Gratis as he is. In conclusion allow me
to direct his attention to the old prOyerb
which says, "it is an i'll bird that fouls
its own nest" CITIZEN. -,