The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-25
For ne pemoeratie Adroeals.
Those Bndgea a SAND Creek.

Those Bridges at Sans Crock.
NEw WINDSOR, MD., Dec. 2ist, 1880.
MEssRs. EDiroRs Please be kind enough
| 10 indulge me with small space in your pa
per, and don't think | will intrude on your
time again on the Bridge question. This is
not for the information Of the worthy Sans
Greek correspondent, for | would not wish to
be instrumental in marring his bliss in any
way, for certainly "Where Ignorance is bliss,
It's folly to be wise.' In quoting the above
old SAYING we do il conscientiously land
without any stretching) for he exhibited lack
Of information regarding facts connected with
the bridge contracts. Il has certainly caused
me nearer Thomsonian sweat to understand
the meaning Of his article than il did by not
getting the bridges to build
BY referring to the ADVOCATE containing
the advertisement to build said bridges, you
will see II in the usual form for public or con.
tract work, ending with, According to spec.
ilications filed il this office"
A few days before the expiration Of the
time for securing proposals. ! stepped in the
office and asked Mr.. Naesche TO let me see
the plans and specifications Of the bridges to
| be built across Sans Greek. Mr.. W. kindly
wrote me a copy Of specifications for each
bridge which | will give, verbatim but,
Dluunf hhAd uNt We hANt bhut tANNlA Niln huN
| tgeltiug one out Of the desk which was sent
from Frederick, aRd roughly gotten up to
give us an idea what we ought TO have.
Specifications for bridge at Stems Store :
| Span, 20 feet; width OF bridge, lG feet; height
OF WALL % feet; thickness Of wall, 4 feet I;
wing wall on Carroll county side, 20 feet (;
wing wall on Frederick county side, 10 feet !;
. sleepers, 10 be of white pine, gxl2 inches I;
framing timbers, 6x9 supporters 10 sleepers,
9xl2; flooring, inch white oak Specihca
tons for bridge at Devilbiss blacksmith shop :
Span, 35 feet width, 10 feet height Of wall,
81 feet thickness of wall, feet; wing walls
10 be 10 and 20 feet 8 sleepers, 10 be OF pine,
9xl2 inches framing timber, 6x9 two sup
| porters TO sleepers, 9xl2 inches flooring to
be Pinch white oak. So ends specifications
as filed in the office, but Mr.. W. told me the
commissioners had concluded to use p inch
plank in place OF inch for the floors | not
being pet of the commissioners Of either
county, or Of Mr.. Richey, or knowing at the
time who had been the examiners to give
specifications for said bridges with probable
cost $50 as to enable me to bid 81 less on each
BRIDGE, drew plan for the bridge at Stem 5
Store with some very slight deviation from
specifications, which was, Of course, subject
to the commissioners approval or rejection.
On presenting said plan, which thought was
as plain as pencil and paper could make it, |
explained TO two of the honorable comis.
soners the change | made (the president was
not present at that timel. They both agreed
the change would certainly be an advantage
The question was asked me by Que Of the
gentlemen, what my name was, and answer
! ed. "Well, Mr.. Haines, we understand il
now we will lay it by, the Pre- sident is not in
aud may not be for some time, and as there
Kutll In oil 4.
them all at Que time
Gentleman / said, ''if you have any
doubt in regard to the responsibility of thi.
bid | refer you 10 Mr.. I. L. s.; suppose YOU
know him. "Oh yes, very WE'LL Mr. Wac
sche said, gentlemen, will guarantee th,
responsibility OF that bid; il is all right
"One word more, gentlemen, said, ''ant
i am done--is the stone to be laid in cemen
or lime aud sand mortar" The reply was
The Frederick Co. Commissioners though
cement, but after consulting together ",
agreed that good lime aud sand mortar Woule
be sufficient replied ''ihat is what esti
mated for"
The slight deviaiions spoken Of from speeih
cations we:e these I'll proposed the outsid,
sleepers tobe lOxl2 ms, and the supporters L
sleepers to be l0xl2 ms, the inside sleepers e
be oxl2 inches; or ! thought it would make
] bNtN'A Ico Nf hAaht aAA- lNlUHa anu usl
q in place OF as specified. Ny plan showed
and proposition was, to make the walls a.
feet thick from bottom of foundation to line
of low water, then from there to fare bach
from water; or inside walls TO 81 feet at top
which makes q fee, between tops Of walls, OF
shortest bridge. My plan also shows my
timbers TO have bearing ON full thickness O
walls, which would make the bridges ressec.
lively 81 and Al feet in length. II also show
ed n hab board to prevent wheels OF vehicle,
catching against the side frames. As have
said two Of the Honorable Commissioner,
protested TO understand it all thoroughly, and
expressed themselves much pleased with til,
plan, particularly the walls and hub guards
and said that was the plan on which the,
should be built.
| | now ask the public whether, after the
Commissioners accepted plans deyiating ma.
terially from their specifications and my plans
if they were not legally, at least morally,
bound TO act differently from what they did
| will now say to Mr.. Richey that not get
ting the bridges to build caused me no sweat
neither has il caused me to sweat to lay few
plain simple facts before the public through a
widely circulated paper. Although the time
| had not yet come that intended TO do il, hi.
article in the Adr0cdte couple Of weeks ago
prompted me to do it now. Neither does il
cause me TO sweat to say TO the public (noi
Mr.. Riehey,) in regard to the SSl higher bid
than the men that built them, that il Mr..
iIiehey will take his pet, the gentleman whose
guarantee he preached from, aud then get q
| practical man that understands plans, speci.
caiions aud figures, by little figuring he
will discover where his $3l are. |, Of course,
will furnish him the plan estimated from &C.
| e0rdlng to the Commissioners specification,
he will find it will amount to about this
Dry walls, instead of good lime and sand
mortar, S25; for 100 feet timber, less sac;
500 feet Of plank, less SIS; no, less, but very
| likely more than Is perch Of stone less than
my pan shows. Now, from those figures,
I think the public can account for the SSl.
/ Now as for comforting Rachel, | suppose
| Mr. Rlchey knows more than do about il,
| for never tried il on, but | will say 10 Mr..
Riehey that my comfort was the words Of the
! President Of the Board of County Commits.
sioners, viz :--''If you had been here. Mr..
Hanes, at the time the proposals we're opened
and explained il as you now do, the contracts
wonld have been awarded differently" which
words taken in connection with Mr.. Richey'
article, demonstrates concinsively that wise
men sometimes change their mind bat fools
never. Now, since Mr.. Richey tried TO in
! form the public why did not get the bridges
to build, why did he not also inform them
why Mr., VIM. Hooper did not get the one at
Stems store to build when bis bid was 81 less
| then the men that built it, If the responsi.
bility Of his bid was questioned suppose there
would have been no difficulty on his part to
have given bond, although do not know that
bond was asked Of any Of the contracting
parties, yet heard one gentleman say thai
one Of the contractors asked him to % on his
bond.
In conclusion, viii say do not ask Mr..
Ritchey to vacaie his present position of news
paper correspondent, but would say 10 him to
touch matters very light in the future that he
knows nothing about, and thereby save expos
/ ing his ignorance. JESSE HAIxHs.
A TERRIHLE SUlcIDE.-A colored man nam.
ed Jones, who was arrested at Charlottsvil lie,
Va, recently for shooting a woman named
/ Carrie nm Wafunn had he awao,;..t,.,, @.