Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-11-06


present City Governments, may. j pfessne. Be
| regarded in some sort semi-omcial. though
long delayed response 70 the structures which
hsd previously appeared in your columns
upon the alleged defective construction Of
| the piers Of the new Augusta bridge.
There articles, by Mr.. Nathaniel Soyes and
myself, embodied not sione the personal
opinions Of the writer. For weeks before
their appearance operations upon the feunda-
ton had been carefully watched by scorer
Of cur cifixens. business men. mechanics and
otheFs, and the air sas full Of unfavofable,
NOT 70 gay condemnitofy, criticism Of the
work. The feeling ~ss slmoss univeYsaiiy
expressed that IL the old bridge had been
properly condemned ~ unsafe for longer use
| Tin regard TO which there vss BY no means
general agreement. il vas . vitL necessity
that the new structure, and especially it
foundation should be made absolutely secure
sgairss danger to life and limb, ard that the
city authorities Who had assumed the respon-
sibiiity Of its construction, acting for the
Taxpayers and the public, were imperAtiyeIy
bound 10 zee that the work vas properly and
thoroughly done.
| Whatever may be thought Of the present
necessity 70, the building Of = new bridge. il
10 nov no longer = subject Of practical DIS
question, and an not aware that any impu
tAiions upon the city officials, their honesty
and good intentions, have either been publ =
| iy or privately made.
| The question upon which this community IL
/ sgitatsd. 10 not their good intention or good
faith. but, what is Of greater importance wheth-
er the plat Q aud specih ctfian4 of the work are
we'll designed, we're they drawn With sach care
and exphcitBess of detail that there could
/ be no room for mistake or evasion Of daty
| in Carrying on- their provisions AID intent; -
and il 80, whether they are being carried out
honestly and faithfully BY the contractors
employed by the city. aiIude specifically to
| the clause ia the contract which requires the
water to be pumped out of the crib before
the concrete foundation for the pier should
be laid. The contract specifics tina, 1.-The erb
snail be built water tight. It must be con-
structed that il can readily be pumped out
And Mr.. Vose in reply to question on this
| subject made answer. ''Yes. We are going 10
pump it out dry and if there is any mud or
foreign collection on the bed of the river
We shall C ear it all out and lvel up with
cement. on which To build the pier.
The contract says "If it shall be found
impossible to pump the crib dry on account
OF the snfop Of natey through deep eyertees
10 = rocky tedge, or through porous bottom,
the lower thrse feet of the concrete, or a
sufficient depth of the concrete to render
the BOTTOM of THE CRIB vdter tight, may he
deposited under water. The crib must then
be pumped dry" There you have the only
condition in the contract which allows the
using Of any cement under iedter rhaferer
First. the tnaom of pater through deep
crevices in rocky ledge second, or a
porous bottom" of the river bed His honor,
the Mayor informed me that the divers EN-
ployed to inspect the river bottom where the
piers are located, reported a clean, hard.
cemeDted. grsyelly bottom A condition of
things which, according to the contract, does
not atow one pound of cement 10 be used
under rdter; and yet we have as a fOunda-
ton of the east pier, Heterogeneous mass of
gravel, broken rock, sand and cement Zone
| to ten. A body of this fifty feet long, I'll
! teen feet wide, nine feet deep, all dumped
into the water-which we are all 70 pay for
at so much a square yard, the same as though
it was good cement work, laid dry and hard
eDed. This contract is also very explicit
concerning the manner in which the cement
shall be used. 1t says:
That ,chtch shall be used under water
mast be mixed with one part cement to tmo
parts sharp saBd
Then after he water is pumped out it says
For the cement to be laid dry and allowed
to be thoroughly set before covered Wifh wafer,
one part cement. three parts sharp SAM, five
or six parts broken stones or pebbles"
Tkese are the questions and the condition
of things, upon which all the unfavorabe
criticisms of the work thus far have been
made. and one would think it ought to be
frankly and fully met by the parties con-
cerned. IL not to the satisfaction of the
| '.growlers" and "loafers," like Mr.. Noyes
and myself. at least to that of all fair minded
persons in the community who need and de-
sire enlightenment on the subject.
How has it been metz
We are told that the work has been exam
ined by Mr.. Stephenson, employed by the
city to supervise the same, by Mr.. Goodwin,
an engineer from Portland, by Prof. Vose of
Boston, under whose direction and care the
contract was drawn, and that each of these
gentlemen has given the opinion that the
work is being well done. Who has been
permitted any knowledge of these alleged
opinions except by 'hearsay report?" kind
of evidence superciiously sneered At by the
writer who so zealously PUSHES to the de-
| fence of the contractor. Not one of these
gentlemen seem ready over his own name
to make public statement of approval and
endorsement--at least they have not seen fit
10 90 so-snd the ignorant tax payers. includ-
! ing Mr.. Noyes and myself, may we'll be ex
cused from putting very mu h reliance upon
the -learssy evidence" of the stability aad
souLeluess of the bridge foundation as re-
ported BY your ssondent-
| It may we'll BE- questioned whether these
scientific experts---with the exception per-
Eaps of Mr. Stephenson whose easy-going
supervision has Tot apparently very much
troubled the contractor-hsve had the OPP
portunty offered them TO make a thorough
/ 4 mott nf no tal
foundation. When Mr. Goodwin was called
/ / a,u told on ''hearssy" authority, the con
crete filing had been completed to its full
dspin and the laying of stone work com
ineuced He was hastily summoned here by
the MAYOR ard spent three or four hours ONLY
in satisfying his expert mind. that the foun-
dalton already hopelpssly buried out of sight
and IT aeh, was of course all right
hope the irquiry will not be impairment,
how far a fellow feeling for Brother Port
| land man in the same business, had to do
W tn his favorable opinion, if in fact he has
! given srv OF thc suN ct.
SJme avs afteraas Is, the stone work having
rapidly progressed Mr.. Vose, the Boston en-
| gineer, is also said to have examined the
work and he too is credited by ''hearsay re-
port with an equally favorable verdict.
do not know that anything else should have
! Dttu tXptttu iEous Aoh h"'S "SSh
told on the rery best authority that Mr..
shsnahan was originally recommended by
him to the city authority for the building of
TIL bridge foundation. ard so urgett was he
il behalf of his protege's interests, that be
strongly urged the Mayor not to advertise
at all for proposals, but t, gre the icork
10 Mr.. Shanahsn solely upon his personal
eadorsemeaf-~ithout inquiry or demur.
! His Honor reyy prudentiy declined 40 I'M
usual and unbusiness IKE y suggestion. How
much the Judgment of so partial an advocate
may be relied upon is matter upon which
am not called upon to express an opinion. The
pubic will very likely uke the liberty of
| Judging for itself.
. The nsolent query of your correspondent,
Who are Or Wilder ard Nathaniel Moves,
| that they should deny the weight of those
opiuionss' is only worthy OF the fiippant and
petty fog gng spirit which inspired his entire
| communication The day has gone by when
the mere opinion of any one man or set of
men are to be held too sacred for discussion
and criticism.
! am aware tina, whatever may now be
said or unsaid upon this subject will not
avail anything in the way of RENE y for
the mistakes and malpractice complained of.
When fret called attention to the matter
the trouble had not gone beyond the oppor-
,unity for correction and repair. Now it is
lx- fsHP