The New York herald., 1876-02-26
THE DANGERS or THE HIGHWAY
DEFECTIVE IRON BRIDGES.
Bad Material, Bad Workmanship, Bad
Management.
Bridge Builders Conspiring with
County Committees.
The Manufacture of
Man-Iraps.
MIS- SING RECORDS S.
A System Of Highway Robbery
MIS- SING RECORD S.
A System Of Highway Robbery
Inaugurated.

| Among the many arts which have made advances
within the past quarter century that OF designing
and building bridges may be considered among the
| most remarkable the progress made and results
reached and IL is source OF just pride to the well In
formed engineers OF country that in many mpor-
particulars the best American bridge work far
ahead OF OF the kind accomplished elsewhere
Our engineers In former times driven by the
necessities Of their practice 70 design many wooden
bridges and to study the and the braced arch
constructive expedents much more thoroughly than
done In older countries, where stone arches and
solid embankmsnts were moro in use-structuTes
totally unsuited, because of their great cost for tho
pioneer roads and railways Of new country.
With the introduction Of iron bridge material,
and tho enormous extension OF our railway system,
abundant opportunity given to apply and increase
the knowledge gained from experience and tho results
have followed that the system has been carried TO an
extent and perfected degree in this country which
have not been approached in any other
This fact has had important influence for good
upon our internal commerce in enabling lines OF com
munication be established by the bridging OF rivers
which had been considered impossible pass except
by ferry and by carrying railways deep valleys
moderate cost II is beyond question that in the
accomplishment OF difficult feats of bridge engineering
and IN the attainment OF that excellence which arises
from the successful adaptation OF to desired
end our engineers have to congratulate them
selves on having outsripped competitors in any other
part OF the world
IRON HIGHWAY BRIDGES
Within few years, however, iron has been exten-
sively employed for highway bridges, and, unfortu-
natey, under the severe competition existing between
the various establishments which make their manu-
facture a speciality, system OF undertaking and
cheap work has grown up which threatens fill the
country with structures which may be unit for use and
very dangerous
An iron bridge If well made and properly cared for,
should last for many generations and may be consid-
cred permanent structure. II 1t is intended for public
and thrown open for general travel IL should be
strong enough stand with absolute safety the heaviest
load which i is probable would ever come upon It
On bridges of ordinary span the heaviest and most
trying load likely be imposed is a crowd Of people;
and two considerations make it Imperative that the
work should be strong enough 10 carry this load no
matter how secluded the situation First-During the
years through which the work Is intended 10 endure IL
may be considered certain that II will at some time be
crowded Second-The failure Of bridge crowded with
people almost certain TO heavy loss Of life
melancholy accidents have shown
A CARELESS METHOD OF LETTING CONTRACTS
for iron highway bridges Bridge build
ing and corporations, caring only for immediate
profit organized and kept in operation extern
sve agency system whereby the officials of towns, VII
lagos counties are persuaded to contTaci for the
most fmsy work and to allow the builders nnish al
most any kind Of iron bridge that they please
slider good enough As a result II will be found that
the standard strength for road bridges Us already
reduced much below what II should be and Is being
lowered daily by the acceptance OF weak bridges
very many Of the bridges public deserve
better appeation than that OF mantraps waiting for
their victims and that the supervision Of the building
OF iron bridges for public loosely conducted
by public officials that grave calamities may be
pected through the falling Of some OF the many
sound works which abound throug ghout the country
RHsPEcrABLK BRIDGE BUILDERS ARE BENG DRIVEN
FIELD
because they do dare TO risk their regulations
upon work weak that generally furnished and the
prices reduced by competition that good work
cannot be produced for them. In many cases, how
ever the prices paid for bad bridges large
would pay for good ones the difference in going
into the hands Of the agents being "put where it
will do the most good" by the bridge building com
pany.
SERIOUS
Is that town and county committees allow themselves
TO be swndled through their vanity persuaded
by INSCRIPTIONS men that their own knowledge is suf-
guide them in making contracts and selecting
the kind Of bridge and deciding on the requisite
strength, &c While in this of mind commit
tees induced 70 sign contracts meaning
almost anything and full or loophoes and ambiguous
expressions. Then the bridge builders erect their
work and claim their pay. However bad the work 1t
is seldom questioned unless sometimes happens IL
actually falls OF It's own weight
These statements not made lightly or at random.
II is fact and very serious one that practice is
growing UP in our midst which, unless checked, must
result the loss OF many lives and the destruction OF
vast amounts Of public property.
This evil is greater, II possible, in the interior and
through the West than in the neghborhood of this
city But il quite bad enough here 10 create alarm
In all who for the safety Of our citizens the
economical disbursement OF public fuEdS
The following examples given In corroboration Of
these statements