The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-03

They Will Erect a Handsome
Steel Structure for General
Uses
The Estuary Bridg Must Be Completed
Next August and tn Old Ones
Removed.

It was practically settled yesterday that
magnificent steel bridge to accommo-
date the traffic between Oakland and Ala
M eda and both broad and narrow gauge
trains of the Southern Pacific Company
will be built across the estuary forming
Oakland harbor The bridge must be
constructed, no matter what its character
may be, before next August, for the War
Department. has settled that detail. Now
the only cause for delay is a study of the
law as it affects the power of Supervisors
OF Alameda County to join with the rail-
way company in building a bridge for
county and railway uses conformity.
There was a conference yesterday after
noon between the supervisors of Alameda
County and General Manager Kruttschfiitt
and w. g. Curtis, engineer OF the main
tenanee of way department of the South
ern Pacific Company. The Supervisors
ca m to this City and met the railway Of
| fcials in their offices at Montgomery and
| Market streets. The company declared
itself in favor of meeting the Alameda
com pany representatives half way. That
| is, it would build the proposed steel bridge
in conjunction with the Supervisors, each
paying share of the cost.
/ As a result OF the meeting the Alameda
Supervisors went home well pleased with
] their days work, for the reason If the law
presents no obstacles their plan to join
| the railway company in this WORK Will
save considera BILE money to the county.
| But one master still remains to be de-
| termined-that is the exact location OF the
bridge, WI ich would suit the parties IL
| rectly interested and the public as well.
| Mr.. Curtis explained the various points
! involved in the whole matter yesterday.
| He said:
"There is bridge at Webster street
used by the county as thoroughfare and
| by the narrow-gauge road, and another at
Alice street used exclusively by the broad
gauge line to Alameda.
| Several months ago the Secretary OF
War notified the owners of both bridges
that they were obstructing navigation,
and that the bridges should be rebuilt.
each with drawbridge having span of
at least $50 feet.
"a meeting. OF the officials of Alameda
/ County and of the Southern Pacific Conn.,
pany was held in the Office of Colonel
| Suffer- at which a formal protest was
made against the span order. The rail
way company said it would obey any or
der of the Secretary Of War, but when it
built bridge replacing the one at Alice
! street, it would make it large enough to
carry both the narrow and broad gauge
trains. The result was the Secretary of
| w ar ordered that both bridges Snould De
built before August 20, 1897.
1.-THE railroad company has informed the
| Secretary of War of their intention to
comply with his order, and at the same
time asked for his approval of outline
plans of the proposed bridge submitted.
This morning the Supervisors OF Ala
media County called on Mr.. Kruttschnitt
and myself. They stated that they would
be willing to join with the railroad CON-
pany in making one bridge serve all pur-
poses in place of the existing bridges.
"The railroad company was agreeable to
this proposition, and the county officials
are to ascertain what can be done under
the law to lawfully join in the construc-
tion of bridge for the common use OF the
public and the railway company.
"Other conferences will be held when
the Alameda Supervisors desire to hold
them looking to the adju tment of tn e
matter. OF course this puts our. other
plan in the air. Anyhow, | can say tina
the proposes bridge will be of steel, about
375 feet long, with draw of $50 feet.
1.-The motive power for the draw will be
furnished by steam, hydraulic or electric
ity, but this is detail TO be determined
later. The bridge will be very large and
rest on masonry piers"