Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-15
WHICH WILL YoU TAKEs
\ Valuable Statement for the Information
ana Guidance of Voters.

To tae E'ftor of he Rfgis'er:
Sm:-It is estimated that steel bridge
will cost $50 900, and that a stone one Will
cost $4,000. Whichever bridge is ordered
20 be built. the cost Of building is 70 be
paid out of the proceeds of bonds, running
81 wears. bearing 4 per cent interest, and
the principal 20 be paid after ten years, IN
yearly payments of onc-twcnty- htth OF
the amount of bonds issued.
The interest on the difference IN cost OF
the two bridges. $4,000 at A. per cent.
for ten wears will be- Sll go For the next
twentv-four wears as tine debt is reduced
each year. the total of interest will be Sl4.-
SO The items of principal and interest
make a total OF S5O,5NO.
The repairs of steel bridge after the
first ten years will average | per cent. ON
/ cost of construction. which In 81 years will
amount 10 $1,000. The life of steel
bridge cannot be given. as there are none
which have been built for more than - OF
I Il wears But the life of an iron bridge is
well known aud all authorities agree that
from - 90 ~ years Is the natural life of all
/ iron bridges aud that when the greatest
care is taken of them. steel Is said TO
corrode and rust much more rapidly than
iron. aud ii this is true in am atmosphere
/ Ike ours. it would not last the shortest
time am iron bridge would.
Suppose that by any possibility steel
bridge could be made 90 last until the
bonds are paid. does any sane man doubt
that this city would eventually have to ne.
place 10 with a new bridge.
Experience. especially i'm the old settled
European countries, has determined thai
the life ola stone structure is only 70 De
measured by centuries. If it Is built OF
properly selected material and by skilled
workmcn. Even our old stone shell lasted
/ 81 wears. more than twice the longest term
credited 20 an iron bridge Most of the
/ bridges ON the old National Road are still
standing. after life of - years. These
were built of the worst material, and 10y
men who were working Uncle sam Tor AL
/ % be had from him.
| II we add 81. 500 20 $4,000. the cost OF
another steel bridge. which viii have 10 be
built long before the bonds. which are Is
sued for the building of bridge M Market
street. are paid. we have SIP 500 as the di-
rect additional burden TO first cost OF a
steel bridge which our voters will place ON
/ themselves and their children If majority
vote for a steel bridge to-day.
/ \ stone bridge will cost S3O,623 more lhan
/ the first cost of an iron bridge for primer
pal and interest In 80 years a steel bridge
/ rs M Cost INlI LtAiNAAN anu ANNNtAA'tAA+- AAt
/ years land we claim i'm less time Si2.3UO
/ difference IN money i'm favor OF stone ST.
/ so.
At the end of thirty-four years we will
have bridge If stone is adopted) as good
as the day IL was built without having
spent one-tenth of one per cent. of first cost
/ for repairs.
Which will Won have. steel or stone
Which would any voter take if he was
building "a bridge for his own use.
With the material for making proper
roadway ON q steel bridge, in which TO bed
gas and water mains and on which 10 lay q
I brick pavement. which win add thousands
of tons 20 the ordinary load the bridge Is IN
tended to carry, can steel bridge be pun
for S5O.O)0 str6ag eaouchi Would not suct
a bridre from the increased size OF its sev
eral parts COST as much as a stone bridge