Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-09-02

and probably q large slice OF the Top oi tne
hin might come of, besides, sn additional
step In a right direction.
Toe REGIsrER invites expressions OF
opinion upon this matter.
THE MAIN STREET BRIDGE.
A Strong Argument In Favor Of . Stone
structure.
10 tie Editor Of Gss Rsctser:
The action Of Council, at It's last meet
ing. in ordering the Committee on Ordi-
nancss to prepare an ordinances for sub
hitting to our people q proposition voting
a loan Of fifty thousand dollars to be used
in building bridge over Wheeling Greek
on Main Street, has created good deal OF
discussion among our citizans a. TO what
kind of bridge will be best suited, not only
for our present wants, but for years TO
come.
The general impression seems to be,
than an iron bridge of some pattern will
be built. The Board of Public Works
sent to Council statement OF the proba-
bic cost of an iron bridge, with twenty
six foot roadway and seven foot sidewalks.
Several iron bridge builders have been here
giving their views to our public authori-
ties, and, 30 far as they could, showing the
superiority of iron over stone bridges.
The building of bridge at Main street
should be seriously considered by Council
and not undertaken without the fullest in
formation possible to be had. A compe-
tent engineer, not connected tcith bridge
building company, should be consulted as
to the kind of bridge best adapted for the
city's wants, whether il should be of stone
or iron, and which material would provide
q bridge to last at least one hundred years.
The bridge when built, should have q
width equal to that Of Main street, TO &C
commodate the travel between the north
and south parts of the city. 1t should
also be adapted for carrying gas and
water mains across the creek and also the
present street car track and any other
tracks which may be placed on it in the
future. Almost all our large factories are
south of the creek and it is probable that
the most of those built in the future will
be located in that part of our city, owing
10 the advantages for building and better
railroad facilities which that part posse
ca. In time more and larger gas and
water main will have to be carried over
the creek. Can an iron bridge he built
which will answer for this purpose?
Can water mains be laid ON an iron
bridge 90 that the water in them will not
freeze? Can an iron bridge be built Of
sufficient strength to bear the increased
losd which the water and gas mains will
compel it to carry, and at the same time be
absolutely safer
We have, on Market street, as good An
iron bridge as any company will build on
Main street, yet Council, at its last meet
ing, authorized the Water Board to carry
the twenty-inch water main over the creek
on truss at cost of Sl,0OO-Secause it
was thought that the weight of the pipe
(33 tons) would add 80 much to the
BRIDGES load as to make it unsafe. Ifthis
were right, why should Council think of
building another iron bridge on Main
street, where not one, but several mains
will cross the creek in time TO come?
In our opinion, Q two-arch stone bridge
is the only kind of bridge, which the city
should build on Main street. In this
opinion we find good many others, who
agree with rs. Some of our reasons for
thinking 30, are these; Atwo, arch stone
bridge can be built for forty thousand dol
lars, and if properly built, will last for
hundreds of years; water and gas mains
can be carried under the rosd-bed on q
stone bridge and no fear of any damage to
them from freezing in winter; well-con-
structed stone bridge will not require ten
dollars expenditure for repairs in fifty
years, while iron bridges to be safe, must
be oyerhauled and painted ut least once a
year; the Pennsy Railroad Company,
which is the best managed corporation in
the United States, ia replacing iron
bridges with stone ones on its lines
on account of their safety and
economy in repairs; We have the stone
necessary for building bridge within
our city limits; the money to pay for the
bridge is to be raised by taxation on our
people, and among our citizens are stone
masons and laborers who will have to pay
their share of the tax and who are az fully
competent to build bridge rs any men in
the country.
If we are right in our statement of the
vi bWO uith otOho DiioSC oFCA
IN iron bridge which can be build on Main
street, we insist that Council has no right
to tax our people to build an iron bridge,
when the money paid forit will 90 to build
up some other city.
The bridge we must have and we insist
that the money raised by taxation on our
own people, should be spent among the
people here. Many men would be en-
ployed, the money circulated here and the
entire city be more or less benefited
Twenty thousand dollars paid for an iron
bridge will be Wheeling's contribution in
aid of Canton, Cleveland or some other
Ohio city.
What say you, members of Council? Will
you spend the money You ask the psople
to vote for bridge, in encouraging home
labor or will You tax your own people to
assist some other city in getting fat at
Weddings expense2
STONE BRIDGE