Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-03-03
NEW BRIDGE,
g "a
Mr.. Merydith Gives Some Eullght-
enment on'the irnportant
Subject.

DdrraSSmenJ Indl L unutTCdhe W WIile
of the proposed bridge across the Mus
kingum river in our growing city. 1t
is known that l represent the Canton
Bridge Co., one of the best in the coun-
try, and If new bridge is built, my
company will stand about one chance
in twenty of securing the contract. But
beg to assure your readers that I
write at. the spegestion OF valued
llfrienda and neiehbors who have
known that nave, been in the bridge
business for twenty years and ought
to know what am talking about.
h Ifsauy one THINKS d would vote to tax
myself and neighbors unnecessarily in
order TO give my bridge company a
chance to bid on a JOB IT only proves
hat he does not know me, 1tF.g
The old bridge II It was new would
be too light for the heavy concentrated
loads which now pass over 1t, and now
Is known to be dangerous, since much
lof TIE material IS decayed and it Will
be absolutely criminal to trust It much
longer.
|. The two iron spans would .Aanswer
lor some country road, thesheaviest
load, ..hely to pass over 1T would only
be from six.to eight TONS burt here
when two such loads or heavier are IL
able TO be on the same span at once 1t
Is not safe so THAT TO make the old
structure at all safe or convenient for
ordinary purposes 1t should have five
new spans with an 18 foot roadway all
the way through. The new draw has
an IS foot roadway and will carry one
hundred pounds to the square foot OF
lloor space or surface, which all au-
,horiLes on bridges say a city bridge
should carry, while the old bridge was
only designed to carry 80 pounds. a
To make such repairs on the old
bridge would cost about $4,000 and
would give us bridge which, with
care and proper attention would an
swer the ordinary puropes for some
years. Such bridge would not afford
room for street cars and the dream OF
our West Side and hilltop friends
would be postponed for long time.
AS a citizen of Marietta l will vote
for the new bridge for several reasons
1t is easily shown that the proposed
Dond issue will not increase our taxes!
This may surprise some persons but II
is true. The County Commissioners
levy about the same per cent each year
; for bridge fund. The amount paid in
the city for that fundis turned into the
city treasury for a. city bridge fund
and cannot lawfully be used for any
other purpose; careful estimate will
! show that this levy viii pay off the in
terest on the proposed bond issue as
well as the principal t$7O,oOO) in
about sixteen years on the present val
uation. On the probable increased val
uation, soon to be made, 1t will only
require twelve years. .,t. Isl
If the fund is not so used there is
danger that some transfer of funds
might result in wasting the money in
stead of applying it to a much needed
purpose which the law intended it tC
be applied to. ..s .,,-. ts
What is needed to accommodate the
public in our up-to-date progressive
city is nice street bridge which oul
people would not be ashamed Of II
should be 80 feet wide with two sever
foot walks such as other citles have
Such a bridge would accommodate tht
street car lines. II is understood tina
our street car people are ready to ex
tend their lines west whenever such
facilities are afforded. The amount VIZ
could charge for such privilege woult
aid in keeping the bridge in repair, d.
not in paying for it, and certainly such
> extension would greatly benefit the
people on both sides of the river.
would vote to help any enterprise mere
mat gives employment to men ant
pays taxes as we do. e-'i
have shown that this is not prop
osition to increase our taxes, but tC
apply taxes, we must pay into the
bridge fund for the purpose of having
in our midst an ornamental, conyen-
lent, safe, modern structure to which
we can point with pride, instead of the
} old, rotten, unsightly structure We
: have which is a disgrace to the county
and our grand old city. -'.
Feeling assured that the people will
1t the polls, consider the dmportanc,
above all of a safe structure, and the
, importance of doing well what we un
dertake, as well as the fact that WI
have for long time been emerging
from our old-tlme sleepy condition
} that Marietta is now a city of grea
Importance and has a grand and glor
lous future. O." -'-- .fl
II our company builds the bridge nj
one shall regret n.s vote for the bonds
If some other company underbids ui
we promise to see to it that we (tht
people of Marietta) get The worth o
our money. Respectfully.
RoI,l4A MERYDITH.
---L
Robert Downing.