The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-17
Notices Received From
Secretary of War.
An Order That Will Cost Port
land Much Money.
The draw OF vaughan's bridge must

Ihi6 10 the suDetan 70 OF q uemhuu 9ube
Issued by the secretary OF war, and his
decision in the matter is final. 1t means
that the next city government of Port
land will be confronted with bridge
building job, costing $l5 1000 to $500, 900 or
more, and that the city of South Portland
Will also come In for considerable out
lay along the same line.
Not only Vaughan's hridse, but the
Boston and Maine railroad bridge near
it, must undergo alteration, that company
having received word that It's draw Is
not wide enough to admit the passage OF
large vessels at all times, and that Q
draw OF at least sixty feet width must be
substituted.
Major w. S. Roessler of the United
States engineer corps in this city received
from the war department Office, Satur-
day, the official notice, and IL was al
once served on Mayor Robinson by Super
intentent Charles W. Kutz of the engi-
nser corps On the same day personal SER
vice of the notice concerning the re-
CURED change in the railroad company :
draw was mads in Boston on President
Lucius 4 uttle of the Boston g. Maine.
The specifications in relation to
vaughan's bridge are as rollows:
"Provide draw with clear opening
Of not less than sixty feet, measuring
perpendicularly to the axis OF the open
iug, the piers OF the draw to be placed
parallel with the current, and provide
fender piers above and below the bridge.
also parallel with the current, each not
less than 200 feet Ia length; or, at the
option OF the owners of I. the bridge, a
draw with a span not less than seventy
feet In the clear may be provided, with
four dolphins, one opposite each corner
ot>ehe draw opening; the plans for any
alteration decided upon TO be submitted
TO the secretary OF war for his approval. !"
Then follows clause stating that the
owners of the bridge will be allowed till
september l, 1902 in which to construct
the draw.
the demand made upon the Boston ~
Maine railroad n reference sto its bridge
across Fore river is substantially the
same as that quoted above, the draw TO
be not less than sixty feet with long
fender, or, at the option of the railroad
company, seventy feet in the clear and
provided with four dolphins.
This decision of the secretary of war Is
the result of the public hearing held in
Mai Roessiers Office In October, when
the question OF the need Of wider draw
In the Vaughan bridge was fully con-
sidered.
The action of the war department is
based on the following section OF the gov.
eminent laws relating thereto;
"That whenever the secretary of war
shall have good reason to believe that any
railroad or other bridge now constructed,
or which may hereafter be con-
structed, over any of the
navigabIe waterways of the United
states is an unreasonable oostru ltion to
the free navigation of such waters, on
eccount of insufficient height, width of
span or otherwise, or where there rs diff
Guilty In passing the draw opening or the
draw span OF such bridge by RATS,
steamboats, or other water craft, 1t shall
be the duty of said secretary, first giving
the parties reasonable opportunity to bs
heard, to give notice to the persons or
corporations owning or controlling such
bridge SO to alter the same as to render
navigation through or under it reason
ably free, easy and unobstructed; and in
giving such notice he shall specify the
changes recommended by the chief of
engineers that are required to be made,
and shall prescribe In each case reason
GABLE time IN which to make them.
eff at the end of such time the altsra-
ton has not been made, the secretary Of
war shall forthwith notify the United
States. district attorney for the district In
which such bridge Is situated, to the end
that the criminal proceedings hereinafter
mentioned may be TAKEN
The section further presorlbes penalties
for failure OF corporations to comply with
snch demand