The Portland daily press., 1894-11-09
THE PORTLAND DRAW BRIDGE.
The County Commissioners Side of
the Story.

How the New Regulation Came About
Rights of Teams and Pedestrians
Probable Protest by the Maine Central
The Rolling Mills and the Kero sene Oil
Company.
When the United States law was passed
giving the Secretary of War control OF all
draw bridges over tide waters, one section
says that the Secretary shall make rules
and regulations governing the opening and
shutting of such draw bridges.
The Portland draw bridge is built accord
ing to plans approved by the Secretary of
War, and is under the control CT the War
Department.
The Secretary did not order this draw to
be lighted at night for the passage of
vessels, as some draw bridges are. There
has never been any regulation in regard to
the opening of the Portland draw bridge.
The draw tender has been subject to the
possibility of being called up at any hour of
the night, regardless of weather and has
always felt obliged to respond. no matter if
it was SO dark that the passage of vessel
endangered the bridge.
About two months ago vessel came to
the draw in so dark and stormy night
that when she was within speaking distance
of the bridge, the captain of the tow-boat
could not see whether the draw was open or
not. and asked the draw tender about it.
On such nights the passage OF vessels
through the draw is attended with great
danger to the bridge.
The county commissioners, soon after
this. addressed letter to the Secretary OF
War, through Col. Peter G. Hams. asking
him to make rules and regulations govern
ing the opening and closing of that draw.
The answer to this letter has just been
made public in the Portland papers, and is
to the effect that the draw need not be
opened between sunset and sunrise. AS a
result of this answer, the commissioners,
ordered the draw tender. Mr.. Jordan, to
close the draw at sunset and keep it closed
till sunrise. They advertised in the papers
that the draw must be closed at sunset.
There was no option left with Mr.. Jordan.
In regard to the locking upsof the two tow
boats, Tuesday night. as mentioned in the
PRESS, the boats passed up through the
draw sometime before sunset and were
waiting to take out vessel that was un-
loading. Five minutes before sunset the
draw tender gave the two boats notice that
lie uraW WOulO Ut ClOS6u al SuuScbs So Luoy
had proper notice.
The county commissioners have no wish
to make this matter hardship for those
using the draw. and are ready to give any
and all parties hearing on this matter at
any time and if good reasons can be shown
why the draw should be kept open longer at
morning and night of these short winter
days any changes that they can suitably
make will be made.
There is another element in this question
public have rights on this bridge, and those
who use it at morning and night. especially
the workmen, who go home often, must
have evinced lively interest as to whe Their
the regulations would be enforced or not.
If vessel is passing through the bridge
at just after sunet, large number of
people and teams are detained, sometimes
for twenty minutes. There is no hour when
so many people pass over the bridge, as
just before sunrise and just after sunset in
the winter. There are great many people
who live in Knightville and work in Port
land.
1t is rumored that protest from the Maine
Central railroad. the Rolling Mills ard
Kerosene Oil company will be sent to the
county commissioners very soon.
cause they have large quantity of freight,
especially coal, come through the draw.