Evening journal., 1900-12-10
Suggests a Proper Bridge
to Replace 1t
SCHERZER ROLLING LIFT TYPE
Structures Spanning Chicago River
Said to be Admirably Suited
to This Stream

Market street bridge as it now stands
Is an obstruction to navigation and
must be removed. So secretary Of war,
Elihu S. Root has informed the Levy
Court of New Castle county. But owing
to the fact that the body has pleaded
poverty, the secretary OF war has not
specified the exact time when this OBJ
struction to navigation and Whining
ton industries shall be removed.
The people of Wilmington are be-
coming aware Of the great loss which
this obstruction is causing both to the
workingmen and the manufacturers Of
this city and now are clamoring for a
new and improved Market street
bridge.
In an interview recently, an expert
engineer said in reference to Market
street drawbridge and pivot bridges in
general, that, while the swing oT pivot
bridge has reached a high degree OF
perfection, yet as a form of movable
bridge intended TO convey safely and
speedily large highway, street car and
railway traffic across important navi-
gable waters, and cause the least pos
sible obstruction to navigation, it has
a number of Objectionable features.
WHY THEY ARE OBJECTIONABLE.
The main objection to the swing
bridge is the center pier and the pier
required to protect the bridge when
open. This pier. being placed in the
center of the main navigable channel
is considerably longer and wider
than the bridge itself. Unless the
channel is very wide this is a serious
obstruction to navigation. especially
in a river like the Christiana and -.
point where the river makes sucn .
sudden bend as it does at the point
where the present swing bridge spans
the river at Market street. Located as
II is, the center pier of Market street
bridge compels vessels to deviate from
their course in order to pass around
the obstruction, and such an appropria-
ton of the channel in a narrow river
like the Christiana is Objectionable in
so much as it greatly retards vessels
movements and is always a menace
and source of danger.
@AAObuIA 0bJCIblOu " lut DlNOI VI
Swing draw is that it moves in a hori-
zontal plane and much valuable dock
space is made useless for moving vAa
sels, and furthermore opening the
swing bridge opens a chasm in the
public highway and has frequently re-
suited in serious accidents. Several
persons have fallen or walked into this
chasm at Third street bridge and there
is always a probability of an electric
car or ulmanageable team plunging
into this death trap. When a swing
bridge has to carry heavy traffic this
type Of bridge is liable to accidents
to its operating machinery, which ties
up travel of all kinds and which fact
has been demonstrated clearly to per-
sons who have occasion to use the
bridges crossing the Christiana river
Watermen also are made to suffer al
times by this eccentric type OF bridge
Boats have been held up for few
minutes to hours while some trifing OF
serious break is being repaired.
ROLLING LIFT THE PROPER
BRIDGE.
When asked what type of bridge
would be the most serviceable and
convenient to replace the present
structure at Market street the engi-
neer said:
I'm my opinion the bridge of to-day
is the rolling lift bridge, which j.
in use in the city of Chicago. This is
the only bridge for narrow rivers such
as the Christiana and Brandywine. II
fulfills every requirement of a NOV.
able bridge, and in this case would dC
away with all of the Objectionable
features of the swing bridge and would
span the river in the most simple, and
least expensive manner. Should this
bridge be selected TO replace the pres
ent structure, 1t would leave a cleaI
channel of over 200 feet in width, al
lowing several vessels to pass through
abreast, and with our twenty-one fee
depth OF channel at low water woull
permit vessels of the largest type Il
navigate the river.
"This direct line of navigable chan
mel, obtained by the use OF the rollin
lift bridge also would enable vessel
10 pass the bridge at a rapid rate, AM
many times the bridge would onl.
have to be partially opened for tn
passage of boats, and the power ex
pended and the time occupied in open
ing and closing the bridge would b
much less than now is required ans
land traffic would be benefited Lon
bridges of this type now in use ar
usually opened or closed in thirty Sc,