Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-30

each side. The central arch of Tonaon
bridge is l52 feet span, thanked on each
side by one OF 140 feet, and them aosin
by one OF 100 feet. Waterloo bridge
has nine stone arches of ISo
feet span each. The arch of
the Chester bridge is 140 feet, and that Of
Gloucester Is $50 feet long. MANY Other
instances might be given. Most Of
sheSe bridges have stood for loo vearO
or more, and are as good as new Tho
orluge OF Lavaur was built in ITS, that
at Remanche, on the road to Grenoble.
In 1888, that at Gignac in 1777, that at
Neuilly In 176S, that at Nantes in 1865.
that at Tours In 1855, that at Orleans
In l7ol, that at Port de Piles in 1747.
that at Tites, over the DURANGO. In 1739
and so on. So much for durability.
Something has been said about the
arch OF the Main street bridge not hay-
ing spring enoIgh-in other words, that
IL was 100 HAT. Let's just glance at some
other arches, which have been IN 100
years or so, and which are as good as
new: Wellington bridge, in London.
with a span of 81 feet, has but Is feet
rise, and Stoneleigh bridge, with a span
OF % feet, has rise of but
l3 feet. London bridge, 152 feet
span, has but IS feet rise for its
main arch. while thesbridge at Herault,
lO5 foot span, has but 10 feet rise, and
the bridge at NemourS, 81 foot span,
has rise OF but 3 feet 0 inches. Other
bridges have rise of but one in ten,
or one in twelve, showing an arch
which is almost fiat for three-fourths of
It's length. The Wheeling arch is l5s
feet by % feet rise, or about one in
five ana a half.
These facts, and they can be sup
ported by absolute authority, and dupi-
Gated many times, ought, once for all, to
settle any legitimate question as to the
folly, excessive cost, "permanency"
or durability" OF the Main street
bridge.
A reporter for the REGISTER yester-
day saw Engineer White, Of the firm of
Hoge 81 White, who drew the plans for
the bridge, and asked him what founda-
ton in fact there was for the many
attacks made upon the bridge. Mr..
White said:
The Main street bridge is all right,
from every point of view, and there
should be no thought of either modify
ing IL or Of substituting steel. 1t will be
q great structure, and one OF the engi-
neering sights of this country, aud
every citizen will be proud of it when
completed. l don't see how the
steel bridge idea could be carried
out, If it was advisable, without
heavy cost and much delay, The con-
tractors for the bridge have done very
large amount of work, have contracted
for all their stone, and a great deal of it
has been out. They have even cou-
tracted for the timber for the centre to
support the arch. To put in steel
bridge, the city would have to settle all
these matters financially, and at the
same time would have TO wait until
plans were drawn for steel bridge and
The bridge built, brought here and set
I'D. All the talk about a steel
bridge being up by this time is
boSh. There would have been
the same liability to accident, in the
same way. The foundation pits for the
abutments for steel bridge would have
been Just as deep as the pits, would
have been of about the same area, and
would have been put down at about the
same time, for we all know it was i'm
possible to do any work last fall, along
the creek The slip in the south pit is
one OF those accidents liable to befall
any contractor, for any sort of bridge,
ana augurs absolutely nothing except
bad luck. There was even more trouble
i'm sinking the northern foundation pit
for the Market street iron bridge.
IIol1nnlr Narac and no
said:-
..The talk about the stone bridge
makes me tired. I'd like to know, If L
would not have had the same trouble
with the pits if the superstructure was
OF iron? Had the designs been for an
iron or steel bridge, the pits would have
been lust as deep and just as wide. Inc
only difference would have been that
they would DOT have been quite as long,
from north TO south. The stone bridge
il all right, and is going to be a great
niece of work, and you can say that
nnless we have great deal OF very bad
luck we are going to get there on time,
or break a leg. Seriously, /, don't be-
lieye the people of Wheeling realize
what big thing this bridge Will be.
There is as much work in the aout-
mepts as is often put in a big BRIDGE
and the bridge, when done, Will DO d
beauty, and an ornament and a credit TO
the city. The people who are talking
against it may be eminent specialists
but l don't believe It,"
William Myles, City Collector, was
asked for an opinion as to the attack on
the bridge. and he made some vigorous
remarks against the people who are cry
ing.down the structure. He said
s.It would be the height Of foolishness
n give I'D the enterprise, and as to the
talk OF the superior merits OF q
steel bridge, we have only to turn to the
Market street bridge for reply. That
sneaks for the steel bridge people.
II cost quite tidy sum,
too. The talk about steel bridge
being ND by this time is nonsense, fol
certainly a steel bridge must have stone
abntments, and those abutmentS must
90 down to hard pan. II my memory
serves me 1t took all one summer &c
sink the pits for the Market street iron
bridge. and it has cost many dollar tol
repairs since. l don't think the people
made a mistake in their vote.
Allen Brock-The editorial In this
mornings Intelligencer was ABOUT as
foolish as anything l ever saw. IL un'
doubtedly would have taken just as
long to build the abutmentS for stee
bridge as for stone. The statement
made by the IntelligceRer the other day
that a steel bridge to meet all require
ment. would have been up long ago Is
absurd. The contractors have had bad
weather and of course were delayed on
- occonnt No one doubts that 4