Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-02-20
The Old Bridge.

frigerator cars holding IN, 900 each.
The Old Bridge.
Some Of the citizens Of Augusta have
expressed the opinion that the old britge
acros. the Kennebec river At this city
was entirely safe and good for many
year. 20 come. To be sure their num-
Der has been ANAL. but the opinions en-
tsrtained by them were doubtless ain
eere. Could they have read the reports
OF the competent engineers who have
examined the structure, however, We
believe they would have thought differ
emily and would cordially have com
mended the wisdom and foresight Of the
city government 10 promptly providing
for the safe and eommodious structure
which will soon add 40 much to the ap-
pe.rance and convenience Of our city.
The follo~ing reports show that this &C
ton was taken. only after thorough
examination Of the old bridge BY hon.
orable and competent engineers-men
OF practical experience In this line Of
work--had demonstrated the pressing ne
ccssity for IL. The following reports
tell their own story;
BRUsswroH. April 70, 1883.
lion Samuel W. Lane. Mayor. CITY Of
AugVstn
DEAR Sra: - Agreeably to your request,
have made an examination Of your City
Bridge, and herewith submit to you my re-
port;
The timbers throughout this bridge are
generally sound. And some rotten wood
in the west end arch feet. but not enough
TO cause any settle Of the arches. The
plank floors Of the bridge are very poor.
the plsnking being nearly worn out The
floor ,iubers look fairly we'll; they have
been there a long time, and have not half
the strength of new timber. for all that
they cannot be called unsafe, and would do
service for some time, IL the other parts Of
the bridge were equally a. good. The
floor ,imbers are held up by the vertical
posts mortised into the chord stringers and
pinned. I noticed that some Of the posts
are pulled out some two or three inches
This should be attended to Al once. a. this
II MI thaf Nous tHe uoor up uey thOuiu
be cIsmped as many Of them have been 10
the eaetern span.
The arches are very low for such long
span. as these two are. The worst feature
shou, this bridge is that the arches are 90
much out OF line. The are 90 much 90
that they eniesnaer the whole bridge
Whist mean by this 10 that the arches
han over so much hat they are liable to
cripple ard fall. This bridge 10 wholly de-
penden on he arches There Ia no other
system OF bridge connected with this that
VII sustain itself ~ithoui the arches
II your street commissioner has occas-
ion to rrplsnk the travel way (as | think he
viii, he should be careful not to take up
too much OF the piakng ct once near the
arches MS the solid plank floor 10 al that
keep. the arches where they are.
While The bridge may do ito work for .
time, possibly for years to come, - in
the past, with The amount Of usfic you
have and the work this bridge has TO do,
1t is my opinion you are taking chances you
are not warranted in doing
Mos, respectfully you're.
ID. A. BooKxl.
This report WAS submitted to Prof g.
L vose who gave 1t the following strosg
Enforcement:
Hon Sampd W. Lane. Mayor Of tie CITY
Of augusta.
MY DEAR SIR In accorda zee with your
request. l have examined care fully the COW
cred bridge across the kennebec River at
this place. have also read the report Of
Mr. Booker upon this work. and do not
hesitate to endorse in the fullest manner all
that be has sad in regard to lite weakness.
No person could possibly have picked out
the weak points In THE bridge better than
he has. lie 10 q man who from long prac-
tice 10 particularly we'll ettsd to give an
opinion upon such matter. have myself
been well acquainted with this bridge since
1850, ard have watched II with sps eial care
since 1870 I, vac veil designed at the
outset, vas made Of excellent material, and
vas model Of bridge carpentry but il has
now stood over sixty years, . very long time
for work Of this Kind, Some Of the moss
important parts Of the bridge have dscsyed
and from time to time have been
replaced but there 10 nov
throughout the structure that general evil
dence Of old age which shove that It 10 only
question of time when 10 would fall. The
timber, while apparently not rotten to any
great extent. has lost its life and elasticity.
much 80 a. to show pretty plainly .here
the failure would take place. No further
repairs are practicable. Nothing short Of
entire re com ,rnction can make the sork
safe. Indeed any new material nov added
to the bridge would simply place the old
material in worse position than before,
and would merely determine tue point where
the work should give way.
No opinion can possibly be given in ~.
gard to the condition Of this bridge which
10 not founded very largely upon guess
work; and l hold that guessing 10 not .
proper method Of determining . matter
where human life 10 At stake. No pefson
can say that the present bridge will not
stand half . dozen years. and no person
can possibly say that II srsN stand half Q
dozen weeks. It can only be used under .
great and increasing risk; . risk which no
one familiar With such work would be
willing TO assume. The mere fact
that the bridge has stood for 90
many years 10 no proof that il
viii continue to stand. Anyone Who has
bad occasion to remove old wooden
bridges will recall how common it 10 for
the timber to look much worse than vas
anticipated. The most critical parss Of Q
wooden bridge are very often beyond the
tescu OF any tnofouHn inspection. No one
has ever examined the timber in the Ken
nehsc bridge in such . way a. - be able to
guarantee that ii can properly do it, work.
The defect in the alignment Of the arches
has increased very perceptibly In the last
few years.
My opinion, In brief. in regard to the
bridge. 10 that ito removal can no longer be
safely deferred; that the City Of Aueussa
cannot With due regard 20 the public safssy
continue ito use and that immediate stsps
should be taken to replace IL BY . safe AID
permanent structure.
Very respectfully.
GBoaeB L. vosa.
Augusta, July IL. 1859.
The opinions thus placed before the
city government rendered ac4ieu impers
tive. To have refused to act n the face
Of them would have been . gross neglect
Of duty. Il would have been an utssr
disregard Of the safety Of our cisissns
practically all Of whom, 4 ssms tine or
another during the year. paes over this
AAt. T.