The Republican journal., 1900-05-10

Roll of accounts No. was passed, contain
ing the following amounts under the va
rious appropriation:
highways and bridges. ............... 49, 92
Fire Department. ............ u.OO
School contingent. Observation-Disclosures. 6511
General school purposes. 2O5. As
repairs and insurance. so
Free text books. oks.................... :. 1866
Free library. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 146.O2
Ao''i ''........ .....S ,,'o5.S3
Voted to contribute 500 towards the ex-
penses of Memorial Day observance.
The City Clerk was instructed to adver-
tise for sealed proposals for collecting the
taxes.
Alderman Perkins was authorized to re-
pair Seaside Hose house at an expense not
exceeding 500
Geo. A. Gilchrest was granted permission
to occupy portion of Front street while
building vessel and T. w. Pitcher to occu-
py part of Main street while repairing his
store.
Sanford Howard, Inspector Of Buildings,
reported that he had inspected IA buildings,
as follows: new residences, Z; new bakery,
1; new stable, additions, 3; repairs, 3
Proposals for keeping the poor for five
years were received, as follows: H. W. Edge
comb, including the insane, $2,7OO per year
without the insane, $2,3oO;J. P. Wight, in
Guiding the insane, $2,4oo; without the in
sane, $1,000; L. Hayford, including the in
sane, $1,000 Voted to accept the offer of
Mr.. Wight.
William L. Hall was elected member of
the School Committee from Ward 8, in place
of Owen G. White, deceased.
Dana B. Southworth was elected Trustee
of Grove Cemetery for three years.
NJ. c. Hill and B. R. Hamlin were elected
weighers of hay and coal. Mr.. Hamlin and
0. E. Frost were elected surveyors of lum-
ber.
Alderman Shales and Councilman Keene
were appointed committee to confer with
the City Solicitor and meet the representa-
tives of the Belfast Hotel Co. to consult
with them in regard to settlement of the
Co. STAKES.
In a joint convention Mayor Poor gave the
following address on the bridge question:
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL: AS
you are to consider tonight matter of i'm
portance to the citizens of Belfast permit
me to say a few words on the subject.
You are we'll aware that our lower bridge
is in an unsafe condition, growing weaker
each year, and it is your duty, in the in
terest of the city, to provide a safe and suit
able highway across our harbOr
In many respects it would be Of great ad-
vantage to locate the bridge at OF near the
foot of Main ST., and several people have
tal bnf n hl.i1 Si, 70 no
ent one be built at that place.
While low wooden pile bridge would
prove Servceable at the present location.
think that a high pier bridge of better
material and stronger construction to with
stand the action of heavy seas, and on ac-
count of its liability to damage, owing to its
exposed position, would be necessary at
Main street.
1t should be furnished with Il modern
substantial draw, that could be handled
quickly and easily both in summer and win
ter also with Il draw tender, who should be
i'll constant attendance for the accommoda-
ton of travel.
1t seems to me it would not be good
policy to build so exposed "a bridge and one
so much used. for less than S50,OOo, and as
much better as a city council might permit
Such a structure would be Il credit, and of
great benefit to Belfast If you build new
bridge. have a good one.
You also know that, with our present in
debtedness. it must be paid for by direct
taxation during the year in which it is built.
1t would seem d heavy burden to double
your tax rate, but such would be the case if
you follow this plan and build in one year,
as the usual amount already assessed each
year is about S55,U0o 1t will be necessary
to get a permit from the War Department
for a change of location.
a bridge might be constructed upon the
plan of our sewer system. i. e., by an outlay
of rhln tny, Il
for ii continuous term of years. OF course
you will not be able to appropriate funds
this year for a new bridge, as your earnest
attention is now called to repairing or re-
building our present structure, for which a
large outlay will be required. 1t is your
duty to be certain that the lower bridge is
put in safe condition, to the satisfaction of
your committee and an expert engineer, be
yond a shadow of doubt, for it must be used
for travel until a city council provides some
thing better.
How best to arrange this matter you will
now consider; whether it will be good judg-
ment to repair moderately, or to accept a
proposal to rebuild with sound material all
unsafe portions of our present lower bridge.
You will tonight hear the report of your
engineer, Mr.. Parker Spotford, which state
ment, as he has given our bridge a close in
SpectlOn during the past several years, may
help you to decide WI hat is the best thing to
do
Mr. Spotford then addressed the conven-
tion as follows:
GENTLEMEN: / have been requested to
give you my opinion regarding the condi-
tion, and the advisability of repairing the
structure known as the CLOVER bridge
To a certain extent the condition of the
bridge can be readily ascertained, but such
parts of it as are under water, or covered
with earth cannot be easily examined have,
ON several occasions, made a careful inspec-
tion OF the bridge with results as follows:
1t is well known that on our coast piles are
in time destroyed by worms that operate
near the surface of the ground. | found
many piles so eaten, just above the mud of
the flats, that only a small core of sound
wood remained in the centre This can
support but little weight and is liable to
break at any moment. There are many of
these defective piles above low water mark
how many more there may be below that
point cannot say but as the most defec-
tive piles are near loW-water mark. it is
reasonable to conclude that the worms are
more destructive still in the deeper water
Now there may be many defective piles
where they are the longest and most likely
to be broken by the action of wind and wa
ter. With this element of uncertainty and
weakness there can be no assurance that
any violent storm will not carry away a sec
ton of the bridge, for should one pile 90,
others are sure to follow like a row of
bricks when the first one falls.
Another source of danger is the roadway
of the BRIDGE which consists nf oa1ar lnuS