The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-13
YIRWs ON TRR BRIDGE

IuhI Oller itllpW would kpl lelLl
VIEWS ON THE BRIDGE
Two Strong Presentations Ofthe Argument
Against stone,
10 he Editor Of he IRlslliOeleer,
) SIR;-As a vote is about to be taken
upon an appropriation Of money for q
Main street bridge over Wheeling creek,
it is only fit that our people should tenn
perately and thoughtfully consider what
is really asked of US before coming to q
decision, And as no means for the In
terChange OF views are so ready as the
newspapers, the writer asks space for an
earnest word upon this important sub
ject.
To the subscriber 1t was matter OF
some surprise that the suitability OF stone
flor q bridge should be advanced at all in
this connection, and much more so that
Council should ask for the appropriation
OF so large q sum without assigning their
determining reasons. But when they
suggest structure which would involve
the expenditure OF at least 1000 over
the amount necessary for an iron or Rteel
bridge, which may BIO equally good, 1t
certainly behooVes them to make It's
superior merits clear, This, therefore,
we frankly ask them to do, and II con-
vincing causes are assigned, will readily
yield my vote which will otherwise be
cast against the project, for the following
reasons:
Among the claims in favor OF stone,
its greater durability is most often urged,
Indeed, this quality Is the only one to
which its advocates cling with unyield.
ing grasp. Yet, while this claim Is en-
titled to consideration, 1t Is in reality no
argument whatever, unless 1t Is shown
that iron or steel will fail to last Us long
as il necessary or desired. To demon
stratO this has never been attempted,
and no one has venturcd to assign a
limit TO the life Of the modern steel
bridge. On this point we would present
the following suggestions:
First-lt is useless and even foolish to
attempt 10 anticipate and provide for
the needs OF all future time. Who will
predict tue needs Of the city Of one hun.
bred years hence? Who will assert that
tho creek will not be diverted and Its
present bel filled? Who will deny that
the city Of the future, with perhaps ten
times our population, will be more able
to provide for its wants and decide and
construct for itseli2 Why shoulder n.y.
pothetical burdens to meet imagined
needs2 Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof"
SeCond-The interest on the difference
in cost will completely rebuild the iron
span every ten years.
Thlrd-CounCil appr0priates $4,000
for steel bridge over Seventeenth street,
II proper there, why not at Main street,
Fourth-All railways and business
corporations and all experts and special.
lists adopt the metal bridge. Nobody
builds OF stone unless for variety in parks
and pleasure resorts.
Therefore, even admitting the claim,
1t does not entitle stone to the prefer.
euce. But we deny this superior lasting
quality. The durability OF stone has
never been tested against the modern
steel bridge. The flood OF July carried
away the stone bridge and left the others
standing. Our Market street bridge has
stood for twenty years; twenty more
will sec 1t as good as to-day II reasonably
cared for. New York city has thirty
miles OF continuous iron elevated rail-
way, which carries daily its thousands
OF trains and its half million passengers.
The iron bridge rests on solid base
the stone, on a well known principle,
thrusts at the ends with a pressure many
timesas great as its load, and every work
ingman knows the difficulty OF resisting
II or imposing an unyielding resistance.
The stone bridge Is seriously damaged or
destroyed by the yielding Of an inch the
iron Is unframed by much greater move.
ment. Tho stone arch narrows, and as
floods rise higher becomes the more ex-
posed 10 danger from drift and from
gorges Of ice, but the iron span may be
equally wide from base TO roadway. The
limit Of a stone arch Is small, that OF the
iron span great. Repairs to stone arc
difficult and costly, renewals ofiron sim.
pie and cheap.
Some emphasis is also laid upon the
greater beauty OF stone. 1t would DO
more prudent to avoid mentioning this
subject until the surroundings are i'm
proved.
But here again We enter q denial, as
will anyone who has seen the elegant
bridges Of Philadelphia, New York and
Brooklyn, and not the least, the Eads
bridge at st. Louis, which is flung across
the Mississippi with the grace Of frost.
work and tho spider.web lightness oil
gossamer.
Some one has suggested, too, that
stone is necessary for the conveyance Of
water and gas pipes. Let him look al
the Market street bridge with pipe sus.
pended and covered with waterproof
non.conduCting material. -,
Let US now glance at our financial con
dition. Tho city owes some three.iourthl
OF million dollars, pays some $50, 0OC
yearly interest," and is, as constituting
nearly all OF Ohio county, pledged for 8
larger part Of 100000 bridge subsSrip
ton, making total Of about $1,000
900, or an average debt upon each family
Of about 5000. Are you willingto add Il
1t without very pressing cause2 A stone
bridge will cost $4,000 more than one
equally good, but built with stone abut
anu pbSNA 4hAp AANNhn ~
average expense Of $ for each head Of {
family. Are you willing 10 throw away
a weeks hard.earned payH
Our object should DO not TO spent
the whole city revenue and borrow
more, but to reduce the ratio OF tax ant
pay of indebtedness.
Staggering under the weight Of crush
Ing odNn, one OF our largest works con
templates removing. Would II not b.
best to try 10 hold all our factories ant
not load our already over.burdened In
dustries with additional weightP Reduce
their other expenses and there will bt
less talk Of reducing wages.
Again, consider our needs. Tho pres
ont condition OF tho river demonati0tel
the necessity Of fllterer and II iB In on
power 10 obtain guaranteed supply o
water rs limpid and pure as that which
4 lows from tho ground. We are asked
! also 10 assist In u free steel bridge 10 The
: Island, which, With the additional ON
\ TO A.tnaVille, will be Of lnralpulable bon
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