Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-31
THE RAILROAD CONTROVERSY.
Something More AbOut that Mastery
Trade al Tennessee River.

Trade az Tennessee River.
Burns & Co, not content with turning
the misfortunes of our downtrodden stock
holders, to swell the Golfers of a favorite
Chicago company, in the rebuilding of the
four new spans, a contract was made with
another fayorite contractor for rebuilding
the bridge connecting Long Island with
the east bank of the river, from bank to
bank at S35 per foot, which contract en-
braced: lst The placing back of a small
beam truss of forty five feet span, extend
ing from the end of embankment 10 main
bridge, (Which had swung round and rested
on the embankment slope,) and which
could not have cost more than two dollars
per foot $500 to place back, and on which
he received $50 per foot, thus pocketing the
snug little wad of SASS, clear profit.
Again the placing back OF three spans (of
las feet of Howes' truss, (erected by the
government with soft Northern pine, in all
ABS feet, which could not have cost him more
than $40 per foot, as the company's bridge
force have subsequently rebuilt Crow
Creek bridge No. 80, having greater
span, (l60 feet at an expense of only Sc %
per foot-as more workmanship than was
required in setting those three spans back
on the piers lin putting in some new tim
ber). The So IS additional ($l63l So will
cover all possible expenses of false works
in the river. Showing that somebody peck
eted the sum of ten thousand eight hum
bred and seventy-fve dollars clear profit
on that little operation. Again, rebuilding
the draw (l60) with Northern pine, for
which be or his sub-contractor received
l0,Q00,,, and the whole cost could not
have exceeded S25 per foot liueal, showing
they pocketed the small sum of 5000 clear
profit on that Job.
Last and not least, they put up treste
work seventy feet long, where the food
washed the embankment away, Ito carry
the track from the end Of the draws to en-
bankment,) for which he received S35 per
foot; as his contract was so scientifically
drawn up as to give him this moderate lit
tie sum of S35 per foot from bank to bank
This work could not have cost him exceed
ing s. per foot-thus showing that ne
pocketed the additional little wad of two
thousand one hundred dollars. And this
is not the worst of it, for the three spans of
the old bridge are worth but little to the
company, as the old timbers are so much
decayed, particularly the bottom chords, as
TO render it absolutely necessary to replace
them with new timber before next winter.
Thus you see, stockholders, how others
can prosper and grow fat on our misfor~
tunes Now, Mr. Burns, call your nine,
and pronounce this "unfounded in fact
and unworthy OF notice." etc. Next time,
Mr. Burns, if you deem it necessary,
propose TO tell about one of these nine
WORTHLESS checking on you Tor the company
for $500, for about five and half hours
work and how some Of the rest of these
worthless can manage 10 get along without
dividends so long.
Respectfully, w. S. HUGGTNs.
Manchester, July 26, 1867.
One of the lower chords of the above
bridge has already given way, and is now
being replaced with a new one by the
company. W. s. II.