The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-18

building of stone bridge, he said that
the city ought not to erect any-bridge
at that place unless there was guar
antee that the foundations would stand.
But do not discover any requirements
of this nature in the specifications,
wish that Alderman Barrett would eX-
plain how this important provision hap
pened to be omitted in the specifica-
lions.
There is also an indefniteness and I'M
| certainty about this order which do
not like
This order does not limit the cost of
the bridge. Mr.. Norcross offers to
build either bridge at a specified sum-
but the order does not propose to ac-
cept Mr. Norcross' offer, but to let it
out to the lowest bidder. Now, sup
pose Mr. Norcross should not put in a
bid to build the bridge, as he probably
would not, for he says he does not
want to build il, and the lowest made
was $15O,OOO, then what is TO prevent
the street commissioner from letting
out the contract at that price?
But if the lowest bid should be no
more than Mr. Norcross offer. still that
sum would not determine the cost of
the bridge to the city OF worcester.
! There would be heavy land damages
to paw. and have we not learned by eX-
perience that nearly every public struc-
| ture involves a lot of extras which in
creases the cost thereof from one-third
| to one-half?
Besides this, Mr. Webb's damages
must be figured in as part of the eX-
pense of the bridge and LOOKING at II
! in the most favorab BILE aspect, this pfo-
| iect. If carried through, would cost the
! CITY from a hundred and fifty 70 two
| hundred thousand dollars, and when
we consider the present financial con
dition of the city, and remember that
! this proposed bridge is not a pubic nee
essity, but a civic luxury, 1t seems al
most like criminal extravaganza for an
| alderman to suggest such an eXpenol-
ture of the peoples money
/ In the next place, | object to this
bridge because it is not to be construct
! ed Of the best material for a bridge
| across Lake Quinsigamond, This lake
forms an annex to our park system,
and bridge there should be made
beautiful as well as commodious. Now
| it is almost universally admitted by
people Of good taste that a stone bridge
with Roman arches and artistic para
pets is more picturesque and better
| adapted for a park than any other
kind of a bridge. 1t is also the most
economical bridge, for when it has been
well constructed II Will stand nrm
without repairs for centuries.
/ But it is said you can not have
long stone bridge with wide spans
without an enormous expense. Where
is the evidence of this? Last year,
when the stone bridge was ordered,
the city engineer prepared plans for a
steel bridge of the same dimensions as
| the stone bridge, and his estimate of
it's cost was $1,000 more than his esti-
mate of the cost Of the stone bridge.
Again, that eminent architect, the
flate Elbridge Boyden, appeared before
US at the bridge hearing and made a
speech in favor Of a steel bridge, but
subsequently after he heard Mr.. Nor
cross admit that a steel bridge would
be springy, expensive to keep in repair,
and would also have to be replaced
once in 30 or 40 years. he changed his
mind and came to the conclusion that a
stone bridge would be better than a
steel bridge at the lake.
He thereupon prepared a plan for a
four -arched stone bridge 536 feet in
length, so feet in width and giving 500
feet of clear water way between the
piers and abutments. He conferred
with bridge contractors relative to its
cost, and came to the conclusion that
the bridge with its approaches, could
be built for less than 100000. Now, if
a beautiful stone bridge of those di-
mansions, which would be durable and
inexpensive to keep in repair, could be
built for less than 500 600, are we doing
bridge Of about the same dimensions -?
Would it not be wiser to fix up Shrews-
bury street, and then build a long stone
| bridge in future years?
L am opposed to this order for the
reason that we should not run the city
into such Indebtedness for this unnee-
| essary improvement, when there are so
many urgent calls for imperative inn
| provements in other fields of work
One of the worst faults of the American
| people is the reckless creation of pri-
vate and public debts. Some of our
| so-called improvements are for mere
ostentation and often inspired by par
| ties having private ends in view or for
| the imagined needs of posterity in rrAlt-
| ters in which posterity will doubtless
be able to provide more judiciously for
it's own interests
We should remember that an alb
normally heavy city debt is liable to
dwarf growth, repel population and
discourage industries to such an ex-
| tent as to make void the very purpose
for which it is ostensibly contracted.
| The mayor in his inaugural address
| wisely suggested that 1t was time for
the city to stop running into debt to
defray its current expenses. If / re-
member his language correctly, he said
that the borrowing Of money to pay
| current expenses must be stoned II
seems to me that the passage of this
order would be likely to be met by a
veto from the mayor, for it is hardly
| fair to presume that while he is irving
to save money at the spigot, he would
be willing to see it wasted at the bung
| hole. without objection on his part
| do not like the way it is proposed
| to be DONE 1t provides that the ex-
pense of the bridge shall be charged to
| the appropriation for street mainte-
nance. The unexpended appropriation
| for street maintenance is now less than
100000, and everybody knows that the
building of this bridge does not belong
| in the street maintenance account You
might as well charge up the construc-
ton of Commercial street to the street
maintenance account as to charge up
a new bridge to that account. 1t is a
mere subterfuge to compel members of
| the city council to vote to borrow suffi-
cient money to pay for the bridge at
the same time they are voting to main
tain the streets in good order.
Now this proceeding is in violation of
| the spirit if not the letter of the city
charter, wherein 1t is specially asserted
that no expenditure shall be made or
liability incurred for any purpose until
the city council has duly voted an APP
| appropriation sufficient to meet such
expenditure or liability, together with
all prior unpaid liabilities which are
PAYABLE therefrom. 1t may be said
| that in this case the liability will not
be incurred until the mayor has signed.
the contract for the construction of the
bridge; but by the passage of the order,
the city council will have incurred all
the liability in its power and if. we do
not obey the law, why should we as
sumo that the mayor will obey it,
Again, this structure contemplates
raising the grade of the street from 10
to 20 feet in front of abutters' land, and
according to the terms of the public
statutes. abutters are entitled to a no.