Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-23
GARDINER nRIDGE-
oshsr Hy Conmissisners Devet. A..
prai.. sy TO the Hearing On the AZ.

me County Co~ms..,..
prais.i 70 the Hearing On the AZ
MONDAY was devoted to the continuation q,
the hearing on the appraisal of the Gsrd;,s,
ana fitt'ton bridge BY the county commits.
| sioners.
Jane, Burr of Quincy, Mass, builder =,
sea walls and abutments. vas c.,,ad q ~ -
partner OF Mr.. Deary. previously examined
.no thelr direct testimony cub,fant;.Iln
ss eeu. On cross-examination, however. he
Ns..ea: Never built any wooden pier.
..osIceu no large spaces between the stone.
W ne huston abutment. 1t il fair to nre-
sume that the curve in the wall of the Pitt.
". aousment has sprung since it was built
REQ the wooden piers with 4 ebisel and
FOUND them all sound. Think that fonrteen
years exposure Of pine to wind and vater
would not depreciate it more than az nor
cent. Ordinarily pine will last IS or 20
John K. Perkins of Boston, wharf. bridge
Sui'dei ana repairer Of bridges, testified /:
Speh1 three hours in examining the Gardiner
orioge. Measured the size of the cords.
nnolng them remarkably sound for their age
touhd the rods and spur braces of the truss
10 GOOD condition. The toll house span is
s!r1ng enough tor any purpose rs a
highway oridge. This span is worth more
.n.n "hen originally built. Should estimate
.no 'Alue OF the draw, when new, at $1,000 ;
present value, $1,000. The cost of a new
structure, outside of the draw. 723 feet Ar Sas
per linear foot, would be S27,sI6. Adding
$4,000 tor the draw would make S33 8I6
Deducting SO per cent for depreciation would
give Sl8,534 IS the worth of the superstruc-
ture outside of the draw.
Gross ExdnatnGtion-Made no MEASURE
ments OF the draw. In constructing a new
Dridge should build . twenty-foot truss in
stead OF the present one. Should use verti-
CA rods, employing at the ends of the truss
81 inch iron; next 3 panels, 2 inch rods: GEN.
ire rods, ls inch iron. In my estimate of the
cost OF new bridge l based my calculations
on using hard pine lumber.
In the afternoon, Lyman Boynton,a Boston
bridge contractor testified: The condition of
the Gardiner and Pittston abutment is
good. The curve does not damage it. Ex-
amlned three piers and saw decayed ties in
the pivot and toll house piers. Estimate the
value OF the Pittston abutment with filling, at
$l6H; Gardiner abutment, Sl22l. The pres
ent value of all the piers is SIS, 548. go.
making the total value of the substructure
SlS, 1860. The timbers of the superstruc-
ture are sound and the cords are strong
enough. The spur braces are good and carry
two-thirds the weight of the bridge. The
spans with new cords are stronger than when
first built The DETECTION in the cords can
De remedied by screwing up the rods. The
opening of the joints in the cords does not
lnJure their strength. The bridge is of suf-
hcient strength for all loads which it may be
expected to carry. There is no reason why
it should not answer all purposes. est.
mate the value of tbs present draw at $4,000
value of the superstructHre outside of the
draw, SIS, 246; total value of superstructure
Sl9,746.
Cross Examination Il never make
plans of bridges but take them
from engineers. l never est.
mated the strength of the parts in truss
bridge. The pine timber we get now is not
so good as that obtained several years ago.
! Albert Monfourt of Brunswick, who has
charge of all the Maine Central bridges cas-,
Of Bangor, being called. testified: Framed
part of the new draw of the Gardiner bridge.
1t is sufficient for the purposes designed.
Estimate its value at $4,000 Have been
scrswing up the rods of one span of late to
remedy DETECTION
William Spear. Gardiner, stone mason.
testified: Was overseer of the rebuilding of
the Gardiner abutment in 1882. The wall OF
the abutment is three feet in thickness, but is
laid in cement. About As tons of new granite
| were used in the wall, worth 81 so ton. II
was worth 80 cents 3 cubic foot to lay the
stone.
At four o'clock, p. NJ, the commissioners
adjourned to Tuesday, March LIST, when the
hearing will be resumed. The appraisal is
| indeed 4 long and tedious process.