The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-08-21

L. y. X, Io2.
LaRue ct al. VS.. Oil City Railwa,
Co., 40 P. S. r. a5o.
Lawrence Co. VS.. Railway Co.,
Sup. c. R., 3I3.
| The right of the plaintiff company
to the use of this bridge for their cor
porate purposes is conceded by the
County Commissioners. The dispute
in this case arises over the reasonable
ness of the conditions sought to be
imposed by the County Commission
ers, to be performed and to be further
kept by the railway company before
being permitted to enter upon the
bridge.
| The points of disagreement in the
bill are averred to be:-(I) as to how
the railway shall be laid upon the
bridge, (2) as to the extent the plain
tiff company shall be held to maintain
the bridge in repair, and what repairs
ought reasonably to be made by them
and go as to what, if any, rental the
company should pay for the use of
the bridge.
The report of the engineer, accom-
panied by draft showing the present
arrangement of the floor system of the
bridge, as it now is, and as proposed,
recommends that single track be laid
on the lower side OF the bridge; and
that the bridge be strengthened and
fitted for the use of the plaintiffs cars,
| by an additional 81" beam placed up
on the plate glrder underneath the
floor, and midway between the rails,
| and that two of them will come direct
ly under each of the rails; and that an
extra floor of the same thickness as
the heighth of the rail be laid on the
top of the present floor, on that side
OF the bridge between and on either
side of the rails to the middle Of the
bridge, and beveled off to the plane of
the present floor, so, as it is stated by
the engineer, wheels may pass either
way without difficulty.
This report shows, as estimated cost
of Strengthening the bridge SOTO 90
and the annual cost of repairs, includ-
ing the painting of the bridge, $673.-
90.
The plaintiffs admit the changes re-
commended by the englneeer will have
to be made, and when made the bridge
will be safe for the use of the pnblic
and the company; and that the changes
must be made by the plaintiff COM
pany at its own expense.
This is single area bridge, having
width of seventeen or eighteen feet
in the clear. Nearly all of the wit
nesses who testified at the hearing ex-
pressed the opinion that there should
be two tracks laid over this bridge, if
street railway was operated over it.
Mr.. Charles P. Pfahler was of the
opinion that If the floor of the bridge
was raised throughout, so as to be
upon level with the top of the rails,
a single track would be just as good
as a double track.
The track in use by the plaintiff
company is about four inches in
helghth.
We are of the opinion that the gen
eral public will suffer less annoyance
by the operation of street railway
over this bridge with a single track
than by the operation of a double
track and that the floor of the entire
bridge be raised so as to be of uni
form height, and on the same level
and plane with the top of the rails:
and that the track should be laid up
on the upper or northern side OF the
bridge, instead of the southern side,as
recommended. If the track be laid
upon the southern side, every vehicle
crossing the bridge will be required to
cross the rails LAID upon the western
approach; otherwise a considerable
portion of the public will not, neces-
sarily, have to come IN contact with
that portion of the track.
No allusion is made, either in the
engineers report or the terms propos-
ed by the County Commissioners
sgreement, to the subject of the light
ing of the bridge, or to the condition
and care of the highway upon the ap-
proaches to the bridge.
If not at the present time required,
when this bridge is being operated by
a street railway, it is necessary to have
the bridge we'll lighted during all dark
hous, for the convenience and safety
Of the travelling public CT ossing over 1t.
The high trusses, braces and overhead
iron work, make the passage way too
dark on ordinarily dark nights.
The approaches, at both ends OF
the bridge, if not already done, should
be reduced in their grade and eleva-
tion, SO that heavily burdened teams
can enter bridge with the least diff
Guilty; and roadway between the tracks
op1 m, aitbar ciIa tbro,oIo,, a. e....