Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-03-12
TIE STONE RRIDGE.

TIE STONE BRIDGE
What has the hltelligeneer against our
magnificent stone bridge, which every
body else in the city 'of Wheeling is
proud Of, that it goes out of its way to
grossly misrepresent the facts in con-
neetion with the cost Of it? That
splendid span undoubtedly represents
the greatest bargain ever captured by
any municipal government. For every
dollar spent on this bridge by the city
S1.25, at least, has been received in val
ne. The contractors, who have been
particularly unfortunate in delay
from bad weather, have found it a
losing job 20 the tune of al least SEQ
600.
To expose the duplicity Of the Iatelli-
genccr, we have only to quote it, as fol-
lows:
In an editorial article on March 4, 1890,
the REGISTER said:
Official estimates % efficient engineers place
the cost of u dr,t class stone bridge, that would
l.~t frrceuturies without 20 dollar ~ repair "a,
about SIS 0lJ. The iat'higsncsr places u ~
twice th.ssum oar ueish0or already fills the
position Of special advocate Of the iron bridge
job. does 70 aim o. occupy that OF engineer also
The u'sUigencsr did place the cost of
stone bridge 40 about twice $40, OOJ VIII
the REsl,IEg now be GOOD enough 20 tell
MS how far wrong il thinks the IHtcUgcHcer
was iu IT'S estimated
The MtViqcnccr was Just as wrong
then Us it is now. The estimate Of Feb
ruary, 1890, by Engineers hoGE and
WmrE Of S75,592, was for bridge 80
feet wide. The present bridge is As
feet wide, or about one-third larger and,
consequently. at least one-third more
expensive. The estimate for the pres
emit bridge was 100000, and this esti-
mate has stood. On the basis of the
engineers rough estimate for 50 foot
bridge the present As foot bridge would
have cost slO3,6sO, or a difference Of
less than $4,000.
From the figures it win he seen that
the SIS, 600 estimate Of the engineers
two years ago for a 35-toot bridge,
which was contemplated first, was as
nearly accurate as is % out Of 100 pre-
Hminary estimates by the best Of engi-
ueers on such work.
If the H,icUigcnccr was not aware of
the fact that the plans were changed
from IS 10 IS feet it should look over
It's own files and read upon the subject.
II il was aware Of the change, however,
itis guilty of an exceedingly mean piece
Of misrepresentation and Of falsehood.
Since the IS foot estimate was made
further changes have suggested them
selves 10 the way Of enlargement, i'm
Drovement and general betterment,
which altogether viii bring the total
cost up 20 S131, 900, which will come far
from covering the expense incurred by
the contractors, for the bridge could
not be duplicated to-day for much less
than $4,000 if ia could be for that
sum. Yet, while the HtCtligepcer which
unless Iensely ignorant on the subject,
must certainly be aware Of these facts,
which are on record, has the audacity
% say that
no sharper practice was never played on
any people than i'm this very matter OF the
cost OF q stone bridge.
To is evident tina, an injection Of BIZ
chloride of veracity and common sense
is needed in the editorial department of
the h,teIqmccr which still holds that
an iron bridge could have been built
sooner and would have been better in
yestmeut for the people.
The btdligaccr should read up on
the history of our present Market street
iron bridge. That concern was begun
in the summer Of 1869. 1t was not fin
ishcd until 1871. It's first cost was S65,-
900. IL has since cost $4,000 for re-
pairs, OF total Of $4,000. Two years
ago s.. 500 was spent on it, And what
have we 20 show for this money! dan
gerous, unsigntly structure which the
CITY Engineer has said will have to
be rebuilt probably within five and GER
taiuly within ten wears, and is in the
meantime not only be 4 source Of dang
er, but, also, Of ever-increaSing expense,
The Market street bridge is disgrace
TO the city and, before we get rid Of it,
will doubtless cost nearly as much as
the new stone bridge, which will last as
long as our hills and probably will
never require a dollar for repairs.
The taxpayers Of Wheeling never
made a better investment than they did
when the Main street stone bridge was
contracted for.
While on this subject it IS pertinent
To- remark that as soon as possible we
should replace this unsafe and tumble
down iron structure at Market street
with a good stone bridge.
TT will not be particularly surprising
should sealskins cause war between the
TWO greatest nations on earth, because
ssalskins have caused trouble before.
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Makes the