Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-20
The Gardiner and Randolph Bridge.

A special committee of the city govern
ment was held. Thursday evening, on the
bridge question. The two boards were in
joint convention for over two hours and
decided to accept the report OF the COM
mittee. who recommend that temporary
| bridge be erected at once and that two
steel spans be contracted for to take the
place of those carried away, the same to
be erected during the winter months when
a roadway can be had upon the ice. The
report of the committee is as follows:
To the City Council.
Report of committee on bridge
Gentlemen-Yourc committee appointed
| to have in charge the erection or repair of
the Gardiner and Randolph bridge with
J. W. Lash, Geo, H. Harrington and j.
w. Eastman from the board OF trade, beg
leave to report as instructed to do.
Piers can be constructed as follows, viz.
Randolph shore pier, granite.......... $500
To repair central pier................... 1900
New dollhouse pier, wooden..,..-.. 5000
Observation-Disclosures. ............... $1,000
To rebuild spans carried away. of
wood, as before, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $4,000
Total cost OF repairs as above .... 900
To supply steel spans on same pier,
COST. SIS, 0tN
Cost of piers, as above. ................ ZOO
Total cost with steel spans........- $25.l00
Bridge builders have been before Us and
report that steel bridge is not as heavy
as a wooden one, and no objection is found
to erecting such on wooden piers; the only
question is their durability as compared to
stone or granite The cost of stone piers
would be about $40, 800 more than
| wooden.
A temporary bridge with 90 foot
roadway, including a l00-foot steel span
for a lugway, will cost $500, having a
value of $500 above cost of removing, to
which the benefit of winter construction
of about $1,000 can be added, thus leaving
the net cost of the bridge for the season
about $ll00.
Such temporary bridge can be con-
structed in from Is to 30 days from time
of the ice leaving the river.
A ferry, to consist of a 40xl6 foot
lighter, with cable. drops and steam
engine can be provided for about $1,000
and worth about $500 when taken off
After due consideration of the matter in
the interest of our city and Randolph, your
committee would recommend that tenn
porary bridge be erected at once with
wooden piers for toll house and central
span, stone pier for Randolph shore pier
and that two steel spans be contracted for
to fill the place of those carried away; the
same to be erected during the next winter
months when roadway can be had upon
the ice.
(Signed) S. N. Maxcy, A. W. McCaus-
land, H. NJ. Foster, q. H. Harrington
Gardiner, Me, March 49, 1896
The report was signed by the various
members of the committee. On behalf
of the council, the report of the committee
was accepted on motion OF Councilman
Steward of Ward 1, seconded by Council
man Fuller of Ward 2. When the report
came up for concurrence in the upper
branch, Alderman Harraden of Ward 3,
moved its acceptance, which was seconded
by Alderman Hildreth of Ward 4. Alder
man Harraden of Ward 3, introduced the
following order, which was passed in con
currenoe: That the special committee on
bridge be instructed to run the ferry be-
tween Gardiner and Randolph until 10
o'clock p. NJ, and Saturdays until II
o'clock p. NJ. Both branches adjourned
at 1910 o'clock.
The special committee will meet at the
office of the P. G. Holmes Co. at clock,
this morning, when it will make further
plans.