Daily Republican., 1881-11-05
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Asde sn Ban sysss it-hsw the
delay Eaesss 7eO WoSknon-Ns
ConpesisAsn 70 ehs AAgemOss
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Cenpesisisn % ehs 1AEemosr
Tres Company.
Yesterday about hslfp1st eleven o.
clock q representative OF the REBUBLI-
CAN took o hurried tramp over the
Brandywine railroad bridge to the
Delaware Car works Of Bowers Dure
and Co. There was no other way to
cross the Brandywine except by this
railroad bridge unless a person went
up the creek TO Eleventh street bridge
where he would be ferried across in a
little row boat for five cents. 1t being
near the hour Of nooi quite a large
number of children of both sexes were
crossing and recrossing the bridge carry
ing dinner to then fathers and brothers
employed in the manufactures on both
sides. At the entrance to the bridge at
the west is the notice pia.carded for
bidding all persons to cross the
bridge.
"Does the Railroad Company mean
that 2" said the reporter to bridge
tender who was about to go on the bridge
to turn off the draw and let a tug
through that came screeching down the
creek.
"Oh No" said the tender, "it only
means that you cross at your own risK
and the company won't be responsible
if you are killed"
With this encouraging piece of infor-
nation the Knight Of the pencil started
over looking forward and to the rear
for approaching trains. A plank foot
way lor the accommodation of the
bridgetender led 70 the draw and there
it ended
Beyond this there was not a sign OF
plank or hOa'd, and there was nothing
to step on but the ties at unequal DIS
tances apart requiring sometlIn ts q
short step and sometimes long step to
reach and woe be to the luckless one
W no III ade long step where short one
was required CT short one where o
long one was required From the draw
we looked up the creek and in the dis
tauce were espied two stone pillars built
on the western side of the creek som 9
distance from each other. Slowly NOV
| ing objects showed that the stone piles
were really inhabited on the outside
where two or three men were at work
with ant like regularity and just about
as slow. A little oar boat moving back
and forth from side to side proved to be
the ferry beat which carried passengers
across at five cents a head.
Pursuing his way ever the bridge the
Wind whistled dismally as it passed the
Inbers and telegraph wires. Meeting
him little children that a goo; puff OF
wind would almost carry away, step
ping, sometimes jumping from tie to tie
"Mr. Ise afraid" said little girI
carrying a basket as she looked implor
ingly into the reporters eyes. AT thu
end little ones afraid to venture across
stood shivering In the wiEd awaiting q
calm moment or the meeting OF father
or brother to relieve them OF their load
Is it possible thought the reporter tina;
this is daily transpiring on a bridg'
where fifty trains ;Aday 60 laundering
through, and though not strong be
lievcr in special providenccs he could
not help think that some unseen han'
must ward off danger or else Their
would be terrible accidents to rcpor
from this bridge. OF course the Rail
road company are not obliged to planl
the bridge for the accommodation OF foo
passengers, but the necessity was nevc
more apparent that every railroa'
bridge especially in city should hav
passenger iOotways.
1t was with no surprise that the re
porter listened to the almost uncontroll
, Cd indignation of the Messrs. Bowers !
Dure at the tardiness with which worl
was progressing on the stone piers u
the creek which 1t appears we're tn
nucleus Of the new Eleventh stree
bridge.
Said Mr.. Dure "here are 700 hand
cOmpelled to Cross and recrOss the Bran
dywine every day either over that dan
ger0us railroad bridge or on row boa
, at five cents a head, while the Edge
!, moor Iron Company to whom the cor
tract was awarded. Since the 10th c
August have only built two piers
At that rate the bridge wo2t be finish
ed until next June any how and it ma
perhaps take all the summer.
The reporter was informed that abo
700 hands, many Of them females, ,Wou
soon I've compelled to cross the Brandy
wine either by the ferry or the rallroa
bridge, and in freezing, slippery wcatl
cr even that would be utterly impoSs
BILE.
There is considerable feeling agains
the Levy Court on the part of all tn
pcople on the east side for awarding tn
contract to the Edge Moor Iron Con
, pany, without competition and ALLOW
ing the company to have its own plai
he its own architect, and have its ow
time in which to complete the bridge
while Mr.. Philip Quigley, a responslb bl
contractor, was willing to complete tn
i. bridge In three months and guarante
that travel should not be suspende
, more than fifteen days. The Edge Moo
Iron Company committed an egregiou
Terror in first removing the old brldg
before they had sto.e and piles on th
7. ground with which to commence tn
new bridge. Altogether the people {
r the cast side feel outraged and there i
little respect shown for tho Levy Cour
{; the chief author of all the trouble
The bridge could have been finishes
r long ago they say had the c)ntract oee
rtyen out to competition, but as tn
Edge Moor Iron Company have thei
own time and their own terms 70 hnls
the bridge which will probably be fr
!. isbeL some time next summer or fall
the wrath of the East Side manufactI
, rers and workmen can be better In
{ aginWi than described.
As the Levy Court has peremptoril
refused to do any thing towards the re
lief of these 700 laborers petition t
Council is suggested with the srrong az
, sire and wish that that body would b
more mirdful and cOnsiderate OF th
wants OF the people than the imperiou
, Levy Court.
Don't Obstruci your System.
Those languid, tiresome sensations