The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-22

Editor Of the Times

| observe that the Free Bridge Com
missioners have held a meeting only
Fix Of ten being present. and after hear
ing a report of Mr.. Sheriifs. architect
determined to build new bridge. NJ
cause is assigned for the absence Of foul
commissioners. who, in so.impOrtant q
matter, it should seem. might at least
/ have made their excuses. Those who
attended that meeting are to be con.
graduated upon their fidelity to the
public interests. if not in respect Of the
determination to which they came.
In estimating the cost of repairs TO
the Free bridge. S22,700. Mr.. Sheriifs
tells the commission that such repairs
can never make the patched.up affair a
trotiing bridge. nor can IL, / am
afraid, be made free from rattle and
shakiness. which is one of its most ap-
parent faults.
"Trottingn bridge is a term which
will apply to the old bridge, as well as
10 the new; the rattle and shakiness
Of the former are real faults, and may
IN time become apparent in the latter
when IL shall have been built.
Mr. Sherifs recommends the build
ing Of a new bridge at cost of. say,
$4,000. more or less. and again says
this bridge would be trottiug bridge.
and would be built in the light of all
the progress which has been made in
bridge-building IN the past fifteen
years. and would be to this extent, If
in no other respect, superior TO the Cd
bridge, 4 this be so, the Old bridge
was an experiment and failure. Now
what guarantee have We that the ridge
of Mr.. Sheriifs will not DO prove an
experiment and a failure. since il is
evidently ..esigned chiefly upon the
serene Of the old rattle trapy
Mr.. Sheritfs. assume, was not asked
TO estimate the cost of archiDg with
brick an granite. or with either. the
substantial piers still standing erect and
strong Ii he had we should be IN a
position 20 know by comparison the
advantage m economy which granite
and brick hold over iron and wOod-or
rtce rcrsa.
Mr. Sheriffs makes the remarkable
statement that lit is also far to as
sumo, while there are no bridges in
existence now that have been IN service
over thirty years, that this bridge
would last much longer. If he intend.
cd 10 refer in this connection to iron
bridges, he should have said so, a.
otherwise the statement will mislead
ignorant persons. Bridg, If stone. as
every well informed person knows,
have been I'm operation from the earliest
historic times. and some Of these of the
Roman period ARE still. standing 10 at
ttst the science of their architects.
Tho City of Venice alone has 800
bridges. chiefly il not entirely of
stone.
Skeleton iron bridges for railways
are the rule nowadays, but not SO with
bridges for public use-these being
chiefly built Of timber or stone.
Mr. Shenff,'i iron bridge, he hopes,
wall last fifty years or longer. whilst
our leOplo want a bridge that will last.
II IossiOie, q thousand years. Taking
his estimate Of the cost Of one new floor
for every five years at 5000, dis
hlidge viii cost tor repairs so 900;
add lo which the cost uf the uew work
SO eco -masirg total Of sos .0O0-and
yod nave practically Tor these figures
bridge thrown over the James to last
fifty years
Ii might be well, IL our people can
stand the cost aud await the issue, to
build an iron 'trotting' bridge over
the Free bridge side. aud another of
granite over the natural gateway" OF
the MaYOS. In such an event seeing
would be believing: practical test OF
such plans would settle forever the rela
tive economy Of either.
4 VI WALLACE