Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-02-05
THE SPECIAL Town MEETING.
STONE BRIDGE WANTED. IF IT CAN 81
HAD FOR $4,000.


STONE BRIDGE WANTED. IF IT CAN BE
HAD FOR $4,000.
The special town meeting at the town
nall on Saturday was tolerablv well at
tended. \ noticeable feature of it was
the presence of the substantial element
among the voters. The committee made
its report, giving full information on the
subject of iron bridges. 1t was not pre-
pared to tell about stone bridges. The
meeting voted that the bridge should be
of stone, provided a stone bridge could
be had at cost to the town not to ex-
coed $4,000: and the committee was
continued in power and instructed to find
out definitely what could be done in the
matter of stone bridge and report at
the regular March meeting.
Selectman Matthews called the meet
ing to order at 10 o'clock in the forenoon.
+. y. Bond was chosen moderator.
Hon. John W. Stewart. for the special
committee on the bridge. said that the
bids for an iron bridge had been received
by the committee only that morning. 1t
had had no time even to open them. and
consequently was not prepared to report.
lie asked that an adjournment be taken
till afternoon. 1t was voted to adjourn
to ! 80 p. N.
On reassembling in the afternoon the
warning was read. Ii set forth the bu.i-
ness of the meeting as follows:
lst. TO hear the report of the commit
tee appointed at the last meeting of said
town in reference to the matter of new
bridge over Otfer creek in the village of
Middlebury.
ID. To transact any other business
that may properly come before said
meeting
The report of the committee was called
for and was read by Mr.. Stewart as fol-
lows:
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The committee have received bids for
an iron bridge as follows:
Berlin Bridge Co., S7315
Smith Bridge Co., Toledo, 7l55
Pittsburgh Bridge Co., $50
Groton Bridge Co., Groton, 1920
Vt. Construction Co., 1850
Boston Bridge Works, $50
These bids include only the superstruc-
ture, exclusive of lumber. Piers and
abutments must be furnished by the
town.
The committee have received no bids
for the construction of stone bridge.
Mr.. Battel holds to his proposition TO
furnish $1,000 towards a stone bridge at
a cost not exceeding $4,000. He reports
also that Mr.. Clinton Smith expresses
the opinion that a stone bridge can be
built for $4,000, quoting also the opin-
ion of stone mason in his employment
to the same effect. No one, however,
has yet offered to make contract on
that basis.
Mr.. Battel also writes that Mr.. Smith
will report in full to the committee when
he comes TO Middlebury, which will be
about March l.
Mr.. Towne of the Berlin company eX-
presses the confident opinion that the
present piers are strong enough To sus-
tain an iron bridge, but that they should
be pointed up with cement.
The reconstruction entirely of the
northern abutment would be necessary,
aud 1t is believed that the lowering of the
piers for an iron bridge would go largely
to furnish the stone necessary to rebuild
said abutment. No estimate of the cost
of the stOne-wOrk necessary for an iron
bridge has been made.
The bids received are based upon speci-
fications for first-class wrought-iron
bridge 100 feet long-27-foot roadway
and sidewalks each five feet wide-hav-
ing three arches and capable of sustain
ing 100 lbs. to the square foot.
Upon the best available Information
your committee regard the bridge in its
present condition to be unsafe, or at best
that it is so near the danger line that no
unnecessary delay should be had in TAX
ing measures to avoid a possible accident,
which might be more expensive to our
taxpayers than the most eXtravagant
bridge. j. w. STEWART,
For Committee.
Mr.. Stewart added that all the bids
were for a truss bridge. with the eXcep-
ton of that of the Vermont Construction
Co. of st. Adams, whose bid was for
riveted structure. The committee had
the propositions and the plans accom-
panying the several bids. Mr.. Battell
consulted bridge-builder in New York,
who estimated the masonry required for
stone bridge at 1900 cubic yards and
the cost per cubic yard at 80. Clinton