The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-01-23
The Confluence Bridge Again.

I
, The Uniontown Ne,es Standard in its
last issue says:
The commissioners have returned from
Confluence where they met the commits.
siorera Of Somerset county ON Thursday.
+ The ohiec, OF the conference was 10 dis
c,Iss tao necessity and adyisability Of
erecting = bridge over the Yough river a.
Confluence. \ joint meeting was held in
a hall which was attended by large
number Of leading business men and
merchants. Views We're exchanged free
ly and many suggestions offered. Some
Of the business men pointed out tho ne
cessity for the bridge. II was shown that
the residents across the river in Henry
Clay township were PAT 10 great disad-
vantage 10y reason Of their having no
bridge to lei them into Confluence and 10
the i. & o. Il. Il. At present the river is
fordcd when the water is low, but when
there Is high stage of water the Henry
Clay township people are compelled to 90
10 Somerfieid and then down the river on
the other side a distance OF about ten
miles to reach Confluence. In eases of
sickness all this distance has TO be travel
cd to get 4 physician. The commission
eys from both counties listened attentive
~ to all the remarks and suggestions and
were finally unanimous in the belief that
a bridge should be erected.
The citizens on each side of the river
were requested to prepare petitions to
the courts of each county asking for the
bridge. This is the only means by which
the bridge can be obtained. These petit
tions mus, be passed upon by the grand
jary and court Of each county, and # they
act iayorably, then it IS the duty OF The
commissioners OF each county 70 proceed
with the erection OF the bridge, each
county defraying half the cost of con-
struc;ion. The Fayette county residents
III the vicinity OF Confluence will prepare
petition Immediately which they will
endeavor 10 get before the March or June
grand jury. The residents on the Soiner-
SET side win also present petition 10 the
courts Of that county and endeavor 70 get
il through as speedily as possible.
The movement for a bridge over the
Yough river at Confluence began back in
the sixties and crystalized into petitions
to the courts of both counties. The petit
ton WAS passed by the Somerset grand
jury and approved by court iii 1874, and a
similar petition went through the Fay
cite courts in ISSS. The commissioners
of the two counties did no: move in the
matter. The Somerset county petitioners
damus from court compelling them to
show cause why the bridge should not be
built. Il appears that the whole proceed
ing was invaIidated by the action OF the
Somerset county court and grand jury in
both passing on the petition at the same
term Of court. Then another hitch arose
over the amouut of expense to be borne
by each county. The county line follows
the channel of the river which runs ve-y
close IL the Somerset side at Confluence.
The Somerset county commissioners
wanted each county to build 10 the line
which would let them out with buiIding
little more than the abutmcnt on their
side, leaving all the balance of the bridge
10 he built by Fayette county. These and
several other obstacles prevented the con-
struction OF the bridge at that time. The
legal work Will all have TO be done over
again.
II the meeting yesterday the commits
sioners selected new site. farther up the
river than the location first selected. II
Is q more convenient point and viii
shorten the bridge nearly 100 feet. They
wou!d not venture an estimate as to the
cost or the proposed bridge.
No BRIDGE At CONFLUENCE.
The county commissioners ON Tuesday
received a communication from the coun-
" commissioners OF Somerset county
with reference 20 the bridge over the
Iough river at Confluence. Il was writ
ten by J. c. Lowry, the commissioners
attorney, and in it he states that he has
examined the law carefully and finds that
Somerset cannot build half the bridge
much a. they would like to do so. This
matter, lie says, was carefully discussed
20 years ago and It was then decided that
Somerset county could not BALD far;he
than thcir line which rams very near the
Somerse; side OF the river. In fact. At
torncy Lowry alleges, they cannot build
more than the abutmeHt. This. lie c!GiIn-,
was the decision reached ~ years ago
and an order Of court was made declaring
thai Somerset county could not bald
more than ths abItment.
After thus presenting Somerset coUn-
tvs side Of the question Attorney Lowry
g,es on To show the necessity for the
bridge and makes great plea for the
Fayeite commissioners 10 stir themselves
and thus give the residents on both sides
Of the river in the vicinity OF Confluence
a means of crossing the river. lie adds
that if tayctte county dcc:des 10 build
the bridge Somerset Will do all she cln to
cooperate. though that cooperation
doesn't reach beyond the abutment. In
replying to the communication Clerk 7.
II. Rpsboro pointed out the law 10 the ct
feet that in the construction OF bridge
over boundary stream between two
counties, each county is 10 bear half the
expense. Fayette county cannot consent
10 bald the bridge on any other coudi-
tions. the order of the Somerset courts 30
the contrary notwithstanding.