The age-herald., 1897-10-08
IN DANGEROUS CONDITION Kendrick Says Twenty-SecOnd Street Bridge Is Unsafe. ANOTHER BRIDGE CLOSED Manager Lataday Says It Will Be Repaired
 as Soon as PossibIe-In Hands
 of City Attorney

It is claimed by City Engineer Ken1- rick that the Twenty-second street bridge is in an unsafe and dangerous condition.
 If this bridge is closed, which the city will be forced to do in the event it is not repaired, the travel over the railroad tracks will all be on the surface, as the Twenty-first street bridge is now ccred
 He made an affidavit as to the unsafe condition of the bridge on the 10th day of July before J. K. Brockman, notary public, which is on file dn the office of the clerk of the United States court. This was filed with the application of the receiver asging permission to repair the bridge, which was subsequently, granted.
 In this affidavit Mr Kendrick swore that he made an examination of the bridge on complaint of the Southern Railroad company, which reported to him that one of the stringers had fallen from the bridge and obstructed their trackS, Wnloh run beneath. He further swore that he found the bridge in an unsafe condition and dam gerous for teams, the fioor being full of holes, and that some new timbers were needed to make it absolutely safe for the passage of trains, and that he reported the result of his investigation to the mayor and board of aldermen with fine recommendation that if it was not at once repaired it should be clsssd to travel
 At the last meeting of the b-arj of aldermen attention was called to this public menace and the board referred it enforcing immediate repairs.
 Manager Latady, for Receiver Phil Campbell, whose duty it is to repair the bridge for the Highland Avenue and Belt railroad, in speaking of the matter said to a reporter yesterday:
 ''The sub-sructure of the bridge is ab- sohately safe and in good condition, and is inspected every week by my direction. Three new bents have been put in dur tng the past month.
 "I am aware of e'fact that the deck of the bridge is in bad condition, and is unsafe for vehicles ou account of $he flooring. I have been granted permis- sion by Judge Bruce of the Unit States court to repair it, but have been unable to borrow the money to do it with, and therefore it has not been done.
 fT,, 41t ttIx zle council, I might say that people in glass houses should not throw stones.' refer ito the Twenty first street bridge which is the property of the city, and which has been closed ito vehicles for the past three weeks. The flooring of this bridge was also in an unsafe condition, and work was begun to ref1oor fa, and after about fifty feet on the north end had been com pleted, the work was stopped for some reason and the entrance to che bridge closed.
 This caused an unusually heavy traf- fic over our bridge, and before nhe djty authorities attack us, I think they should first fix the Twenty y-frst erreet bridge. I am free to admit that our bridge is un- safe for vehicles, and will state that it will be fixed as soon as posss ble.'
  built by the Elyton Land company some years ago under a contract with the city for che purpose of running the trains of the Highland Avenue and Belt Railroad company, which $. c.rltrJEed to the south side of the city, removing the danger of crossing the tracks of the various rail- roads on i,Ille surface. By this compact the Elyton Land company dedicated the right of way over the bEdge ito the pab- lie and agreed to keep the bridge in re- pair so long as the company used it for its cars, and to keep it always open to the passage of vehicles stock and people, no toll to be charged, except that other street railway companies would be re- quired ito pay 9 reasonable compensation for running cars over 1t.
 It further defines that should the Ely ton Land company, its successors or as- signees, ever, for any reason. refuse or fail to keep the bridge in repair then the mayor and board of aldermen would have the right to repair it and keep it in good condition for public travel.
 The bridge is a wooden structure and when it was first opened it was a very popular thoroughfare between the north and south sides, but lost much of it's. popularity whsn the Twenty-firsit street bridge was built, the latter bridge being nsarer the business portion of the city and better constructed. Both bridges were the outcome of popular public clamor for means of crossing the rail roads above the surface.
 
 IISF0 TO XII GARFIELD