The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-22
WANT THE SMALL END
The Railroad Thinks the County
Should Fay Most for
the Bridge.
Manager Kruttschnitt'5 Views and
Plans Will Be Considered by
the Supervisors.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, !
Q0Q Broadway Dao 81

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL
90S Broadway, Dec. q.
When the Supervisors met to-day
the first business transacted was the read
ing of an important letter from General
Manager Kruttschnitt of the Southern
Pacific Company. 1t contained his ideas
and plans regarding the new bridge
across the estuary. According to the
managers figures, the larger portion of
the. expense should be borne by the
county, but to this Supervisor Church
entered strong exception.
The letter is as follows:
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors, Oak
land, Alameda COUnty-GENTLEMEN: L hand
YOU herewith two blue prints OF propose
Oakland harboY drawbridge, marked "Plan
outlines of the two plans discussed at our
recent conference. Attached hereto are two
estimates OF the approximate cost OF that
much OF the structures as is Included be-
tween United States Government bulk head
lines.
throughout, excepting only for the wearing
surfaces of the roedways and hand ratings,
which would be common lumber, therein tol-
ling the practice which has been followed in
all our railway work for some time past The
oil with which the timber is impregnated, as
YOU no doubt know, preserves the q nber
from decay and reduces very largely lhe ex-
1ense of main tanning the structure The eX-
bense o the county of Alameda outside Of The
United States lines will, OF course be esti-
mated by you.
ably more expensive to provide for the pas
sage OF steam roads, electric roads, vehicles
and pedestri ans all on the same level, ana
this as well as considerable of safety to life
and property and the necessity OF avoiding
DELAYS to the electric and steam cars, which
will largely increase with the CROWN OF the
cities of Oakland and Alameda, Will, nope,
infuence you to abandon the idea OF Keeping
ali the traffic on the same level NO amount
OF additional expense could entirely remove
the risk and as our measurements show that
the orede of the highway carried on the upper
chord of the bridge as per plan ana estimate
is entirely practicable, being but little
over 5 per cent, or rise OF hYe ieet IN
the hundred we would most strongly and
respectfu llv urge on you an acceptance OF the
General features embodied in this design in
order that the detalleo estlnasss "a ooss N
be had preliminary to reaching a oennlte
understanding with yourselves lot financing
the work and pushing 1t TO completion. Ihe
blue prints show that mere rs no e
RON at the rate of grade indicated without en-
croaohing on the land north OF the south line
of First street on the Oakland CITY sloe:
"A stated to you in our Meeting, tran1c over
one Of the most i'm portant bridges in Portland,
or is SO narrated in this way, and we have but
recently completed a bridge over ine sacra a.
manfo River at Sacramento Cal, which Is
eIso used by the authorities OF sacramento
and Yolo counties as highway prldge. Inc
Grade ON that bridge is nearly . per Cenb anu
Fts nee has beei so satisfactory TO the COM
1ounities in question that would ofter you on
tbe mart of the Southern Pacific company the
courtesies of its lines to visit 1t, either In
body or through such committee as you may
see at to appoint :. . r-or,-+ ro,,r, r
Requesting the favor OF prompt reply'
remain, yours very truly, co,a-a, Nr.,aoa-
Accompanying the letter were the fol-
lowing estimates OF cost:
For the double-deck bridge, providing for
tbe road way for steam lines carried on the
lower chords; highway, electric roads and way
for foot passengers, carried on upper chords,
sneeifie ed as plan "No. % total cost $s1, 289,
S39 994 so TO be paid by the railroad COM
neny and Sal, 294 so by the county. The cost
ri the draw span for the joint use OF the rail-
roads and public, BAT feet ong from center 20
cenfer of end pins, is $67, 1888. OF this 500, S04
will he needed for the supersiructure and
SIG. 5s5 for the sub-structure. This is divided
between the county and the railroad COM
many evenly, each paying $33,694 90: Inc
timber trestle approaches between the United
states C1oyernment bulkheads, 5I3 feet of tim
her trpstle. all of the woodwork OF which is
creosoted, except nearing surfaces OF roadway
and hand railing will cost ST 800, which is
apportioned $4,000 TO the railroad and $1,000
10 the county.
The total cost TO the county IS figured at
'E4I, 294 so and to the railroad $50, 994 90.