Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-02-27
A RAY OF LIGHT
THROWN UPON TIKI MAIN STREET BRIDGE
MATER.
dow the Opponents Of Stone Bridge Are Work
ing Thngs-Ihs City Engineers EST
mate, OOnirsslsd With the One
Presented in Ooareil.

Presented in Oourcl.
L, is altogether probable that those citi
zens who read the report of the proeted-
ings in the Second Branch of Council, in
Yesterday mornings REGISTER, in 80 far
as they related to the question Of bridging
Wheeling creek, recognized the fact that
well considered and carefully-plsnned
scheme to foist a steel bridge upon the
city was being manipulated.
The matter created great deal Of talk
during the day. One gentleman said:
81 watched the bridge matter, Tuesday
night with q good deal of interest. Un-
der the thin veneer of pretending TO pre-
sent entirely reliable and uuprtjudiced
figures as to the comparative cost of stone
and steel bridge, having the same dimen-
sions flr the accommodation of travel, Ii
was sought to so impress the people with
the difference in cost az 10 work a change
in public sentiment from the st0ne bridge
to one of steel, and thereby carry the
point the steel bridge men had in view.
The better to 90 this, the figures
originally provided in the ordinance
S75, OO0-were changed to Sl45, 900, that
the estimate OF stone bridge presented
during the session might be fully covered,
and then the people were 60 be allowed
TO indicate what they wanted Then,
when somebody suggested to make 1t
$3.50. 600 the steel bridge men very readily
acqniec ed. They would have been per-
fectly willing 10 have gone $40, 600 better,
if there had been any excuse for 1t. Ihe
higher the limit, 10 cover their estimate Of
stone bridge, the better for their steel
bridge cause, fer it would have helped
create the impression they we're striving
for-namely, that stone structure, 'oi the
best character would cost sum enorm-
ously larger than the very best steel
bridge, and that would have meant votes
for TIE steel structure.
1.-The whole matter was very shrewdly
planned but in their anxiety the steel crowd
over-Teached themselves. They stretched
tfeir originally thin scheme 20 such de-
grse that il become transparent, and the
whole plan stood revealed.
"The steel bridge people went about
their plan of campaign some time ago, and
worked it up with care. Some time $50
the REGISTER called attention to what
wss going on, but the process Of interview
ing Councilmen on the streets and at their
places of business continued, until the
steel men developed enough strength 10
give them hope vi Carrying their project
through Council. Not content TO let the
psople hsye AL even thirg OF it, and to &C
cent and lay before Council the City En-
giDseris estimates OF the cost Of stone
bridge. made from actual measurements
figurss very readily accessible, and entire
ly without prtjudice-the steel men pro-
cured from nOu. resident engineers, whose
specially ia steel bridges, an estimate Of
the cost of stone bridge. Ia order to get
outside figures this bridge was labelled,
a. beipg of the very best character prob
ably with the idea of creating the impres.
eion that previous estimates by the
Ctv Engineer and Others we're for an in
fsrior structure, and this coutrsdistincvion
was sang TO various tunes daring the
whole session OF Council. No details OF the
quantity Of material entering into the
stons bridge covered by the Sl44 600 est
mates were given. Mr.. Sseley, who had
charge OF the estimates, aud who Yves IN
the position Of the executive officer OF the
steel bridge men, Was called upon specii.
cally 10 give the number of cubic yards OF
he kQ on
feet to DO il, bat he sat down without
supplying the Information. he had the
details. but they were 20: for publication.
He was subsequently asked to leave the
figures in tie effice OF the City Clerk,
where they could be inspected, aud prom
ised 10 do so, bat he didn't.
'You want TO note right here, however,
that Mr.. Seelsy's 'fist-class stone bridge
was to be filled in with a very consider
able amount of spll9, or broken stone,
class OF work which is not an essential 10
lirst-class' masonry.
when the ordnance IN its amended
form, calling for $3.50, coo OF bonds as the
limit. went TO the Fret Branch OF Council,
the steel bridge men were. happy. They
saw victory ahead; bot they were scarcely
urepsred for the windisll they were TO
strike, in the shape OF the Wilson resolu-
ton approp5ia'iDg 500 600 for a bridge
and taking the money from the current
revenues Of the city fJr 1890 Fifty
the usand dollars caso, with no oppOrtun.
ity to the people to pass upon the sort OF
structure they wanted, meant steel
bridge aud nothing else. Aud they hur-
ried 70 set their sails to catch tbs breezs
from a rew quarter. 1t would not do to
ATTEMPT, on the spur OF the moment, to
ee. the Second Branch TO cast the ordi'
nance aside, and concur. That was risky;
so the eteel bridge men got in line with
the others, and ssked for a committee OF
conference. When the committee was
appoirted they chuckled over their wis
dom, for they saw majority on 1t
which could Ds counted on, with little
work, for steel bridge.
To-day they were at work again
bright and early. Members of the CON-
mittee were 10 be seen and the ground gen.
erslly looked over. After 40 exchange Of
notes, the atesl bridge men came to the
conclusion that modification OF the Will
son resolution must be brought about, if
their cause was to be further strengthened.
They ssv The proposition to take sos. 600
from the current revenues Of the city,
added to the $4,000 for 0aldwell's run, a
like sum for the completion of the Seven
teenth street bridge, and the money al
ready expended by the Board of Pablo
Works. would absorb about all OF the
available revenues of the Board, and that
there would be nothing left for street
improvements. This would rot he popu-
lar, for many matters Of public improve
ment are pressing, and way out OF the
trouble must be found. The best plan
was to stick 10 the SIS, 600 proposition,
but to so modify il. as to make the sum
p,ysble in fige annual installmeuts, out
of the current city revenues. This would
still cut the people cut of choice as to
the sort OF a bridge to be put up, would
give the steel bridge men what they want
ed. and would add to their strength in
Council the support Of the advocates Ct
the Wilson resolution. They thought
such course would give them plain sail
ing. and that the cake of the advocates
of a stone bridge was dough"
tits the desire OF the REGISTER 10 pre-
sent ali the facts to the public and in
pursuing this course, the careful estimate
of City Engineer HOge. submitted to
Council in May last, is reprinted. Mr..
HoVe had no desire TO present anything
L.