The record-union., 1894-01-20
COUNTY TREOHLE COMPLETED.
A Memorable Day for the Residents
of the Grant.
The Supervisors Pronounce 1t and the
Grade Beyond an Excellent
Piece of Work.

The Supervisors, accompanied by Dar-
by Layden, the contractor, County Clerk
Hamilton, County Surveyor Winn,
County Auditor and Recorder Johnson
and a RECoRD-UNIoN reporter. went out
yesterday to the new trestle on the
Twelfth-street road, which has been built
under contract with the Board of Super
visors, and which Mr.. Layden announced
as finished and ready for their acceptance.
The visit was one of inspection by the
committee which had charge of the work,
and the examination was very thorough
and careful.
The trestle is connected with the one
built by the same contractor for the city
q short time ago, by high grade OF the
same hight as the trestles. 1t is l,300
feet long, and still beyond it is another
grade 1000 feet long, connecting 1t with
the American River bridge.
The end of the trestle next the city is
double width for ninety feet in order to
allow the use of summer road on the
fiat, as the Supervisors will probably
close the trestle to summer travel as soon
as the dirt road becomes in good condl-
ton in the spring, in order to save wear
and tear.
The trestle is eighteen feet wide and
the road bed is composed OF tour-lnch
planks. Piles 10Xl0 inches have been
driven into the ground ten feet and caps
10xl0 inches fastened across them for the
stringers and joists to rest on. Ihese
latter are 3Xl0 inches and thlrty-slX feet
long being laid alternately so as to break
joints and occupy the full width Of the
caps, making the spans eighteen feet
long.
Much adverse criticism has been ex-
pended on the committee having the
work in charge, on account of the delay
in finishing the trestle, but they state it
was unavoidable, as when the contractor
came to construct that portion which con-
tains the joists, it was found that there
were no thirty-siX-foot timbers OF suitable
quality for his use to be procured in
San Francisco and it became necessary
to send to the mills on Puget Sound for
sufficient supply. Much delay was eX
perienced in getting them, but the trestle
will be the gamer over the proposition to
put in eighteen-foot timbers, as the
breaking of joints with the long timbers
will make the trestle much sitter and
better.
The piles and caps are braced
thoroughly with 2x10 planks. The side
rail or fence is composed of supports
eight feet apart, bolted to the stringers
with heavy bolts. The top rail is 3X4
inches, and hub plank 2xl0 inches is
bOlted to the posts Of the fence"
Backing pieces, 6xS inches, fastened
with lag screws to the roadbed planks,
keep the wheels from going over against
the rail- The bolts which faSten the caps
are 1x22 inches, and those which fasten
the outside stringers are sxlS inches.
The planks used on the bridge are of
such good quality, that Supervisor Cur
tbs, when making his last inspection of
the trestle. only found one plank poor
enough to justify It's being taken out.
The ,600-toOt grade beyond the trestle
has been raised seven feet above it's
former hight, and faced with gravel about
foot deep. On top of this has been
placed broken granite, the product of the
hobos in the County Jail, which covers
the whole length of it at present except
about 300 feet at this end, and Supervisor
Curtis SAYS there is nearly enough ma
terial on hand to finish 1t. When it is
fully settled it will be the finest piece of
road in the county. and in three months
from now will give to the citizens of the
county a good idea of what macadam-
lied roads through The county would do
for it.
The work just finished ought to have
been done many years ago, but it is bet
ter late than never. All the years past
fthe residents of the county living on the
other side of the American River have at
times been shut off from communication
with the city when very high water came.
Some years ago q long trestle about half
mile in length was built. This, with the
present one will make three-fourths of a
mile of trestle for the county to care for,
but it will be paying investment, as
now the trade which has heretofore come
to this city from as far as Pleasant Grove
IN the summer, but was practically shut
off in winter, will come all the year
round, and the value of property on the
other side of the American River will be
so enhanced that it will add largely to the
assessment roll.
The completion of the trestle and grade,
therefore, marks step in the county's
history which gives universal satisfac-
ton.
The Superintendent accepted the work
yesterday after the inspection was fin
ished, and the board will accept and pay
for it at its next meeting. The commit
tee ali expressed their satisfaction in the
highest terms at the way in which the
work had been done, and also compli
mented Supervisor Curtis, the Road
Commissioner of the district, for the ex-
cellence of the grade which had been built
under his supervision.