The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-31
PUBLIC BRIDGES.
Report F~rOmCOmmiSSiOner
of Public Works.
Important Document in the
Board of Aldermen.
Crawford Street Bridge is In Need
of Overhauling.

his annual report on public bridges TO the
Il, ard Of Aldermen this afternoon. II Is fuli
Of meat. and quite an important document.
Tho total expenditures for bridges for 1885
was SAG. 47s.6 OF which S2l. l2l. 90 was drawn
from the appropriation for 1856. There was
IN unexpended balance for the fiscal year end
ing September 30. 1895, of 1855. 0s.
For tho year ending September 30. 1896,
$4,000 was appropriated. Doducting the
s2l. l2L.09. leaves ! l22. 25S. 80 TO work with. IL
is estimated that the rlore important work OF
the ensuing year will use csc. 800 Of 1t, applied
as follows: Exchange bridge. completion,
eco. 900: Promenade street bridge. completion.
ans. 500: Crawford street bridge repi IRIS, $4,000
Weybosset bridge repairs. flOJ: West River
street bridge replankiDV. etc, $500; Point
street bridge, new wearing planks and re-
pairs. $500; Washington bridge, ditto, $500
painting aud repairing various other bridges,
$500.
The value OF supplies on hand January J.,
1896. was s2d25. u.
A resume Of the work done during the year
shows that no general repairs were made TO
the Point street brio ge, except to replace the
spruce wearing planks on the draw, and IL
was closed 10 public travel FIVE brief periods.
hbsiiHRHon bfllkt az iuula pCiut Wde NV
clos d, and no general repairs were required.
The new Central or Red bridge work began
November 20, 1894, but it was not closed until
February %. 1905. General details of its con-
struction are given. The bridge was opened
20 public travel December 28. 1895. The COM
missioner states that 4 is interesting TO note
that this is the fourth bridge at tots location.
The first was a wooden affair. opened Jrne 9.
1913. and destroyed by "a storm in January.
1907. 1t was rebuilt OF wood: damaged by the
September gale Of 1915. and repaired and used
az a toll bridge. until declared unsafe. BY
act OF the General Assembly in 1869. the third
bridge was built.
Washington Row bridge is referred to as
being a very substantial structure and most
convenient.
The new Exchange bridge, the easterly wall
of which is completed. was ordered by a re-
solution approved July 10, 1895.
The Promenade street bridge, crossing the
MoshAssuck and made necessary by the ter
minal facilities changing the street line, Is
progressing. IL was found necessary. because
il is so low. to make the floor very thin, and a
pier in the river helps support it. This pier
IS com pol The bridge was ordered by the
City Council, June Z, 1895.
The old Gaspec street foot bridge over the
railroad tracks was removed the latter rart
of Octorer last. The iron work Of the Delaine
street hIidge has been painted.
The old bridge shop at the cid city yard on
the cove was vacated in APRIL, and the new
shop Mt the new city yard. and the removal
of the tools were additional expensive items.
Tho commissioner says that the Crawford
street bridge VIII require considerable over
hauling the coming season. The wey bosset
bridge he finds decay cd in many places. and
portions Of IL will have 10 be closed for re-
pairs at once. The West River street bridge
needs new planking, and as the abutment
walls are poor, 1t may be well to build a new
bridge. The Mill street bridge will also soon
need overhauling. and with The changes neces-
stated by the proposed widening OF Charles
street a new bridge may there DO desirable.
More or less repairing will have to be done on
small bridges and the drawbridges.
The commissioner gives those who have care
OF the dra wbriGges praise for care and etici-
ency. no serious accidents occurring during
the yea-.
Tables giving the passage OF craft through
the Point street. Central and Washington
bridges are appended. and are worth glancing
a1 WV ehN'h'R'AS w t''o W. e' -
Is interesting TO note that the total number
passing through the first named bridge was
81. ssi. OF these 10, 2l3 were steamboats,; 1913
towboats; 1853 sailing vessels; 1908 sailbosts.
This was on increase of ) per cent. over 1894.
The draw was opened 1892 times. and re-
mnined opened an average Of 3.il minutes.
The greatest number passing through on any
day was LOG. Back In 1879, $3.50 craft passed
through this bridge; in 1880, 33,9s4; in 1881,
81. 1913; in 1890: ~. 255. 1he commissioner gives
no reason for the falling of.
The total number passing through Central
bridge for 1S95 was 2563; steamboats,. $40: tow
boats, lO5S: sailing vessels, 24l: sail boats, q;
an increase over 1894 of 4 per cent.
The total lumber passing through Washing
ton bridge in 1895 was 1895; steamboats,, COS
tow boats, 1909: sailing vessels, PSI; sail
boats. 80; an increase of G per cent. over 1894.
1hs greatest number u pass through this
bridge in any one day was ~.