Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-02
CITIZENS UP IN ARMS.
Residents Of the SOuthside Object to
Bridge 0bstructionists.
THEIR PROTESTS UEAFAILIEG.
Rapid Work Done by the Knoxville Incline
Railway Company.
COMMISSIONER HUNTER STOPS WORK

A speck of war was visible for a time yes
terday afternoon on Bradford street, between
South Eleventh and South Twelfth streets,
over the attempt of the Pittsburg and
Knoxville Incline Railway Company to
erect an iron bridgeway over the street at
less elevation than that prescribed by the
ordinance of Councils granting them the
right of way from point on Mariana
street, near South Twelfth, to another point
on Carson street on direct line.
The people living or owning property in
the vicinity, assembled in an excited crowd
when they saw what was being done, and
protested that the iron work obstructed the
street for vehicles. The men to whom they
complained, however, were employees OF the
Penn Bridge Company, OF Beaver Falls,
who have the contract for erecting the iron
portion of the new road and, Of course, had
no authority other than to perform their
work according to the terms made with the
incline company. ssF'
OFFICIALS APPEALED TO.
Some OF the officials of the latter company
were on tine ground for some time, and they
were appealed to, but the indignant people
had no more success with them than with
the hired workmen.
A new line OF action was then decided
upon. Councilman Benz, of the Twenty-ninth
ward, was sent for He soon reached the
place and added his voice with the others
against the position of the obnoxious bridge.
The incline officials held to their first posi-
tion, and refused to change line in their
plans or to suspend operations The
work OF erecting the heavy stringers
and accompanying iron work was
going steadily on in the hands
Of about % workmen. Mr.. Benz saw that if
anything was to be done it must be done
speedily. He therefore ut once notified
Chief Bigelow, of the Department of Public
Works, of the situation. Street Commits
sioner Hunter, of the Southside district, was
instructed TO take charge of the street and
not permit the bridge to 60 up at height
less than 141z feet in the clear at the
lower end of the bridge. Mr.. Hunter
repaired to the scene of war imme-
dia.elY and found that, at the lower
side of Bradford street, the bridge was 5%
feet in the clear, and at the opposite sids
the elevation was liz feet. He ordered
the work suspended according to the in
structions he had been given. No heed was
paid to his demand, even after an explana-
tion of his authority as an officer of the
street department.
HUNTER STOPPED THE WORK.
The excited and indignant residents were
little amazed at the display of contempt
for Mr.. Hunter, supposing that with his
presence the work on the road would cease.
In this view they were not wholly in error,
for, although Mr.. Hunter, single-handed,
could not compel obedience, he did it with
the assistance of asquad OF officers under
Captain Stewart.
The work had progressed so far before the
people noticed what was being done that,
by the time Mr.. Hunter did secure cessa-
tion through the potency of force, the pair
of heavy stringers had been suspended from
the iron framed trestle, on the upper side or
the street, to the masonry on the other side,
and made secure at either end. The mis-
chief was done.
The foreman of the bridge builders called
his men off the work at the command of
Captain Stewart, b9tdid not leave the place.
At late hour last night they were still
about.
The objectOrs to the low bridge, among