The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-03-29

best customers; and that the uncer-
taintics attending all things there,
kept out foreign capital and hinder
ed the energetic employmentof what
was already there. Now all parties,
except a few ambitious politicians,
want to have an end of political in
triguos, and resoIute and cheerful
face addressed to business revival.
Practice and Theory on Bridge
Building.
Editor Register
wish 10 make some remarks on
this subject Mason county is 50
formed by nature that large mum,
Der of creeks empty into the Ohio
and Kanawha rivers, and to make
passabTe roads over them, is heavy
burden upon the tax payers to build
the necessary bridges required for
public convenience. Bridges have
been built upon different plans, as
thought best by the Commissioners
appointed from time to time. Some
have been built of timber, and others
of stone and timber, which have pro
we'd not to be durable. 1t appears
that where stone has been used, in
most cases, it has proved a failure
The reason why l will attempt to
explain. The stone work has fire.
quently BEEN built and has fallen
down and had'to be rebuilt two or
three times at great cost to tie peo-
pie. Reason, the Commissioners APP
pointed are not practical men in
bridge building, and are not capable
of giving plans and specifications so
as to makowalls substantially strong
and sufficient to resist the force Of
earth fills and the pressure of water.
On this account they most naturally
fall down or give way, and have to
be rebuilt, which causes very great
inconvenience and cost to the tax
PAYERS. In many cases those jobs
are contracted to parties who are not
practical stone masons, and they
botch the work in such Il way that
if the walls were sufficiently large to
answer the purpose, they would fall
down. | refer the tax payers to
what took place in erecting 4 bridge
over Ten Mile Creek, on the Ohio, a
few years ago; there was an advertise
ment to let to the lowest bidder the
stone work for the abutmcnts of that
bridge; one Of the Commissioners had
sketch TO show how it was to be
built, and the parties who professcd
to be practical stone masons, told the
Commissioner that if he built the
bridge according tohis plan it would
fall down; he contcndcd that it was
sufficiently strong, but the parties
would not make a bid for it, know
ing if they did so they would have
trouble. Finally it was let to other
parties, was built, and didCall down,
and had to be rebuilt at the expense
of the people. A second plan was
furnished by the Commissioners and
contracted out and built, and the
bridge fell down as before, The con-
tractor got into trouble, and the au-
thorities of the county refused to
pay him for the job as they consid-
cred that the work was not done in Il
workman.like manner; the contract
or brought suit against the county,
proved by the Commissioners that he
done and executed the work as d.
rcctcd by them, and that he was not
blameablc, therefore judgment was
rendered in his favor for Sl,0j0 in
tercst and costs, and the people were
compelled to pay that amount for a
bridge they never got, and in addi-
ton had the picasurc of rebuilding
the bridge u third time at their cx.
pense. do not blame the Commits.
sioncrs, as | suppose they did the
best they could according TO their
practical knowledge of constructing
such works,
Mason county has an abundance Of
the best guilty of stone for building
bridges, if properly managed, and
the right mon placed in the right
place and position, to bujldond con