The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-04
JOINT SESSION OF COUNCILS.
A $50. 900 Contract for bridges Awarded.
The MeIan Concrete Style Of Bridge
Chosen Mayor Hendricks Displays
wonderful knowledge.

The council chamber In the NUM-
cipal building, presented very AM
mated appearance Monday night. coun-
cilmen could be seen fitting to and fro
groups We're eagerly discussing the SIT,
uation, and the public had assembled
in soodly number to be spectators and
listen to the wisdom looked for upon
bridge construction, and especially the
report OF the mayor and his party upon
their Inspection tour to See concrete
bridges. The chairman, &. II. Spencer
called the adjourned meeting or couh-
ellis to- order. and said in effect that the
meeting had been adjourned from last
Tuesday evening, when the bids Tor
Salem, Sixth and the Eighth avenue
bridges We're opened and further action
deferred pending investigation OF GER
tain points not quite clear
ii. q. Baker introduced the following
resolution: That the plans ard speci-
fications of the Melan arch style OF
bridge construction as prepared by the
city engineer be adopted for the bridges
TO be constructed at Salem avenue,
sixth avenue and Eighth avenue. city
OF Carbondale. e. A. kase seconded
the resolution. p. q. McDOnough argued
that the plans for both styles be con-
sidered together. not one now and the
other again. Ii they wished to serve
the best interests Of the city all people
ought to be- treated alike.
The chairman thought il perfectly
proper to adopt the plan.
+. W. MillS-poes that accept the
lid?
The chairman emphatically said no
No motion to the effect spoken Of by
MIR. McDonough was made.
Then the chairman upon calling foi
M lssf., Il nois sHI
generosity OF the mayor and the
trouble he had taken to investigate the
style Of Melau bridges In Newark and
Jersey City.
Mayor Hendrick said in substance:
"Mr. chairman and gentlemen of the
councils, ] should like first To pay my
respects to the sl.n-of-a-gun who Is
the author of that article in Monday $
Scranton Tribune. which presume you
have all seen" Then he went on in
no complimentary terms TO vent his
soreness ut being properly exposed.
He gave a resume Of his visit OF in
spectiCn and he stated that on Tuesday
evening he. was MT satisfied which
was the better bridge. He decided at
hts own expense to pay visit and see
for himself. He scaid that the steel
bridge men had told him some fairy
tales, as they doubtless did others.
They said concrete bridges would not
stand the climate and that there We're
no concrete. bridges in the world. But
the mayor. in his wonderful knowledge,
knew that there We're plenty Of them.
He knew that the nearest was In Jer-
Sey City and he resolved to go and see
them One concrete bridge, carrying
two street car tracks. built since the
war. thirty years ago. had replaced Il
steel structure. 1t was placed on the
old foundation which is still as firm as
ever. Then If q stone bridge had been
built with that foundation il would
have been there yet. To this concrete
structure there Is no vibration. 1t is
like the everlasting hills Then he fav-
orably commented upon bridge in
Prospect park, Brooklyn. and in a small
Jersey town. and concluded by saying
that as far as his investigation was
concerned. he was convinced that the
concrete bridge was the best they could
build.
The mayor after this preface, fol-
lowed concrete to the BabylOnian days.
and treated the councilmen with a lee
ture cleaned from encyclopedias and
civil engineering manuals, which he
called authorities. He referred to the
Roman pantheon. to bridge in Wales.
built $50 years ago. and aqueducts still
supplying Rome with water. Then he
said that the bridge Is built largely of
labor employed there. They being the
steel and cement. We furnish every
thing else. The bridge company will
leave between 10000 to $4,000 of the
contract price In this city. He predict
ed hard times to the workmen of this
city owing to the continuation of the
coal barons. The money is needed in
the city.
Select Councilman McNulty said he
had not much to say, that he knew
very little about cement or iron. He
had tested the Jersey City bridge and
found no vibration.
+. q. McDonough thought the bridge
was u remarkably good bridge. 1t all
depends on a good foundation. though.
If it were to settle the bridge will be a
total wreck. The bridges he had seen
We're in good order. Messrs. Glennon.
Dilts and Colwen concurred that they
We're nice bridges. Mr.. Baker said, "as
far as | am concerned, Mr.. Chairman.
1t isn't necessary for me to see thing
to be convinced. l have looked up the
subject in the encyclopedias and such