The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-18
THE MAIN STREET BRIDGE.


Ghe Matters Of Security and Ep0n0my-Imv
ppFtant 70 the Publle.
10 Ne Editor Of ne IRiclligaleiT'
slR;-The question Of what kind Of a
bridge should be built to replace the one
lost in last summers great food Is at
tracing the attention Of many citizens.
Regrets are vainl and yet, disaster and
loss should carry lessons Of wisdom for
the future,
The stone bridge on Main street was
in constant use for tiity-iour years, II
cost about twenty-three thousand dol
lars, and II the street commissioner and
council had taken ordinary precautions
In the repair and pointing OF piers
Clamping them with heavy iron bands,
the bridge would have done good service
for another generation, at q cost not ex-
csedipg 5000,
1t is now within reach Of property
holders and voters TO decide what Is the
wisest plan to adopt in the construction
OF q new bridge, and / propose to place
q few reasons before your readers TO aid
them In forming proper conclusion,
The aim Of ali should be the good of
ALL
Iron and stone are the great burthen
bearers, and which to adept is the ques-
ton at issue.
1t can be said, without doubt, that the
world has had longer experience and
more satisfaction in good stone bridge
than In any other, from the fact that II
Is not so liable to decay, that 1t requires
little or no repair year after year, that II
affords safe and natural means OF So
curing water and gas pipes from the
action Of frost, that itallows the adoption
OF the model brick pavement, keeping
everything dry, that 1t never needs
q pound Of paint, that it carries with II
the idea OF symmetry and solidity, anC
that when well built 1t will last for ter
generations. Some who read this article
have trod in the footsteps Of more thar
twenty generations OF Weary walkers in
the iatherland.
While II Is granted that the. first cos
is considerably more than an iron bridge
| let us not forget that within 800 yard
OF Main street there is an excellent blue
and gray sand stone, the strata NOR
than twenty feet in thickness and nov
being quarried by the contractors for thu
new Union railroad bridge, which NIL
soon grow into q bond OF strength ant
beauty, binding our State to her siste
across the river,
Some Of the best bridge architects ar
now using for arChing hard burned brick
laid in cement, and this is said TO DO thu
most secure arch ever built,
The adoption Of stone structure woulC
insure tho expenditure OF almost th
a., entire appropriation In our midst
amongst stone cutters, masons, linn
burners, teamsters, sand haulers AM
many day laborers. This advantage will
be duly weighed by our store keeper
> and trades people.
II the classes 10 be benefited will ex
: ercise reasonable discretion In their de
mands, a full seasons work may be done
resulting in good To the entire city,
. New York, the other day, borrowed
seven and u half million dollars at tw,
and q hall per cent interest, and vii
! raise one aud u half millions more, max
, ing nine millions, for new parks.
A twenty year loan should be place.
| by our city " not over four per cent.
. True wisdom In municipal affairs 10 I
4 look aud plan for the future, not To b
i deferred from building something en-
during because the first cost exceed
some cheap expedirnt-always mos
costly in the end.
1t is hoped that these views, candid,
expressed, may call out the opinion q
others, aud that no members Of Council
may learn the wishes Of their constitu
ents, and act in accordance.
Rock BoTroM.