The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-03
THE MAIN STREBTBRIDGB
The General Opinion that It
Should be Of Stone
AND AS WIDE AS THE STREET.
Loud Protest Against Narrow Iron
Bridge-A Solid aud Permanent
Structure Cheaper in the
Long Run-somc Talks.

The matter OF a bridge across the creek
at Main street in place of the stone one
destroyed by the flood last month, is a
leading topic OF conversation now all
over the city. Wherever Il crowd Of peo-
pie get together it is pretty sure to be
mentioned after the weather and politics
have had their turp. 1t is safe to say
that not one taxpayer out OF dozen APP
proves OF the proposal to erect an iron
bridge only twenty.six feet wide. The
old stone bridge had proven 50 made
quate to the traffic over It that the Board
OF Public Works had been seriously con-
templating Strengthening it and making
it more commodious. Yet it is now Sc
riously proposed to put up in its place a
narrow iron bridge, though il is morally
certain that it will be inadequate to the
traffic. II this policy is pursued there
can be no doubt-at any rate there is no
doubt in the minds Of citizens who have
been heard to discuss the subject-that
the bridge will no more than be opened
until everybody will regret that larger
bridge was not built
A gentleman well posted on the sub
iect said yesterday in conversation in a
crowd OF prominent citizens and tax
payers, all OF whom agreed with his
view:
at will be matter OF general regret
within a month after that bridge is built
that an iron bridge Of that width was
put there What the city should do is
TO build astone bridge with one arch, or
at most two, and the full width Of the
street, which is 6G feet-from house to
house. The old stone bridge was not
well built. It has been known to be un-
safe for years. 1t was Il solid shell OF
stone filled in with dirt and small stone.
No bridge should ever be built 80. It
ought to be OF solid, large stones, well
cemented. Such bridge would have
withstood a dozen such floods as we had
in July and August.
"The cost OF repairs and painting OF
an iron bridge, including the re-aooripg,
would pay the interest on the cost Of a
stone bridge. l mean now, of course,
an iron bridge the width Of the stone
bridge. ] would regard it MS blunder
amounting TO an outrage on the public
Iifa bridge twepty-six feet wide were
putthere. That is an important thor
oughiare. The residents OF Main street
ought to unite in IN earnest protest
against cheap, narrow, make-shift
bridge that will injure the street for
ever. II bridge the full width OF the
street were erected 1t would make Main
street again the popular, prosperous
thOrOughiare it once was and ought TO
be now. This city has little enough
room without putting such bar us a
narrow bridge would be to easy access
to so convenienta section asMain street,
south OF the creek.
"a substantial stone bridge G6 feet
wide would be an ornament to the city
and last while the earth stands. Why
should not posterty, which will have
the benefit OF it, help to pay for it. By
issuing bonds, the cost could be 80
spread out over the years to come as to
make the financial burden bear more
lightly than that OF an iron bridge, and
the cost would not really beso excessive
assome people seem to imagine"
This is but one OF hundred different
expressions in the same direction. II
will be unfortunate il an iron bridge is
built without giving the people u chance
to make their views known, and without
thorough examination as to the relative
cost.