The record-union., 1896-11-15
EXPERTS BRIDGE REPORT.
Mr.. StOddard FaYOrS the Plans Of Darby
Laydon & Co.
On His Recommendation They Get the
Contract for the Steel Bridge
at McCOnnell's.

The Board of Supervisors met in ad-
| journed session yesterday morning in
! relation to the construction of the steel
bridge over the Costumes River near
McConnell's station.
| The bids which were opened last week
and referred to the Contract Committee
| With power to engage the services of a
bridge expert to pass on the plans and
| specifications, were taken up.
| Expert Stoddard presented his report,
| which was received on motion of Jenkins
and placed on file. It stated that after a
careful examination of all the plans
he thought that, considering all the
points in them, that offered by Darby
I.aydon & Co. was the best for the
county and while not the lowest bid, he
would advise that the contract be
awarded to the firm.
Todd thought the board should act in
accordance with the report, and on mo-
tion of Jenkins, seconded by Curtis and
Todd, the contract was unanimously
awarded to Laydon & Co.
In his report Mr.. Stoddard said he
found the plans submitted as a whole
much more acceptable than those pre-
viously submitted for the bridge, and
seemed to have been drawn with a great
deal of care and evident desire to give
the county good structure. Some of
the designs were superior in one respect
and some in another, but he considered
Laydon & Co.'S on the whole the best
for the county, and will, if put up in
accordance with the specifications, form
a loo
He suggested some slight changes in
the specifications, in order to strengthen
certain portions, the bridge being to
sustain a twenty-five-ton roller. He
also speaks of the necessity of extra care
in the pier construction and recommends
that no coarse rock be allowed in the
concrete filling for it.
Jenkins said that the guides for the
channel where the piles were driven last
year at ex-senator Johnston's place
were washed out during the high water
last winter and the steamboat men had
asked that they be put in again.
He was instructed to have them re-
placed when the pile driver came back
down the river.
He also stated that there was dan
gerous place at Bryan's. where the river
is encroaching on the road and was
liable to wash it out during the coming
winter He was asked to investigate
the matter further.
Jenkins said that the Gilmore bridge,
! this side of Elk Grove, had fallen down
and he had been forced to have it re-
paired Immediately by A. Leimbach, as
there was no way for the travel to get
around it. His action was ratified by
| the board.
called the members of the board to-
gether and presented figures to them
that indicated the prisoners in the
| County Jail could be fed cheaper than
| at present. He did not think they could
be fed as cheaply as the jury did under
| present circumstances.
| He would move that hereafter the
board allow the Sheriff cents a meal
| for each prisoner, those working on the
rock pile to have three meals day and
those not working to have two.
The motion was carried unanimously.
each prisoner much less than in any
other county of the State except San
Francisco, the cost i'm this county hav
| ing already been the lowest of any, with
| that exception.
The board then adjourned till 10 a. m.
on the 18th, when it will meet to open
bids on a variety of matters.