Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-17
FORT SMELLING BRIDGE.
TROUBLE WITH ENGINEER SFWALL
rs USUAL.
He Want to Depart from the specifica-
tions and the Government Engineer
very Properly Objects-A Shabby Job if
Sewall's Plan Is Allowed.

The Fort Smelling bridge commission met
yesterday morning in the auditors Office
Commissioners Dawson, Lindeke, KNAPP
heider and Cochran were present.
Mr.. Upham, cashier of the First National
bank, was present with the $4,000 worth
of bonds, of which he asked the board to
change the date, as they were dated Sunday,
September 1st
The board instructed the auditor to change
the date to Monday, September I'd.
Some conversation took place among the
members of the board upon the mat
ter of compensation to the commissioners,
Mr.. Dawson saying that he thought now
there was money on hand the commissioners
could make their per diem claims.
Mr.. Cochran said he was not quite clear as
to how much they were entitled to. He
So for each ten hours actual work they had
done.
Mr.. Dawson thought they were entitled to
$3 for every day they met
Mr.. Lindeke would favor the commits
sioners making no claim at all, and taking
instead the honor of working pro 6On0
public0.
The matter here dropped and the secretary
read communication from Mr.. Sewall in
reply to Mr.. OBrien's protest against his
estimate for last months work DONE He
stated that on the LIST of September no con-
crete or rock for riprapping had been fur
nished, and the dredging was not finished
and could not be estimated. He had no
doubt Mr.. O'Brien's object was to get allow,
ance for quarrying stone, but as none had
been delivered it could not be estimated.
Mr.. Sewall received letter from
Major Allen, United States engi-
neer, to him (SewalD in reply to
communication he had addressed
to Mr.. Lee relative to the foundation of the
fort side piers. The letter stated that the
authorities at Washington had not author
lied him to deviate from the terms of the
specification. 1t also showed that the only
safe way to build the pier was to place the
foundation on the solid rock, which Mr..
Allen thought would not cost so much as
making the foundation on a platform secure
from freshets and ice.
Mr.. Dawson asked how much it would
cost to put the foundation on the bed rock
according to specification.
Mr.. Sewall said he did not know. There
was only one place he had sounded and there
the drift and debris extended down twelve feet
below the platform he intended to put in,
and it would take $50 yards of masonry to
bring it up to that level. This, with exca-
waiting, would cost some $4,000. Aside
from this it would be impossible to get the
piers built this year. He proposed to place
Six feet feet below the surface a platform of
timber, two feet thick, with piles in front,
to protect against ice. his would cost
$500, against $4,000 or $4,000 the other
way.
MIR. Dawson-Are you prepared to give
Ma or Allen the ado itional information he
asks?
Mr.. Sewall-I can't Give it as
he wants it. / thought l had
done so but his assistant contradicts me. and
Major Allen does not think as I do.
Mr.. Cochrane-Is it the abutment or pier?
Mr.. Sewal-It is the pier on the Fort
Smelling side. The specification calls for
the foundation to be made on a rock. I
found we had made mistake. The debris
OF broken stone, clay, sawdust and sand is
solid and hard, and cannot say how far we
should have to go down for the solid rock
Mr. Cochrane thought they could submit
the modification of the specifications at the
same time as the specifications for the super
structure to the authorities at Washington,
and kill two birds with one stone.
MIR. Lindeke thought the board could not
afford to chance anything.
Mr.. DaWson-We cannot butt against the
United States engineer.
Mr.. Cochran--No, sir. We can boss ev-
erything else, but not him.
The engineer was then instructed to make
careful examination and estimate the cost
OF going to bedrock. He was also request
ed to see Major Lee and explain his plans
fully to him. The board then adjourned