The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-14
ALL BRIDGES ARE UNSAFE
REPORT OF THE EXPERT, II. l.. COND-
RON, PRESENTED TO THE CITY.
Board of Works Closes the Structures
to Loaded Cars-Repairs
to BE Made.

Bridge Expert T. L. Condron presented
his report yesterday on the condition of
the bridges over White river at West Mich
igan street. Morris street. River avenue
and at Emrichsville. AS was expected the
report disclosed to the Board Of Works
that all the bridges are unsafe II not alb
solutely dangerous The report, which goes
into an exhaustive statement of the con-
dition of each structure which Mr.. Condron
examined, states that the bridges are not
worth costly repairs, and that they should
be replaced at once with modern struc-
The export recommends to the board that
closed to loaded cars at once and that they
should be used for ordinary street traffic
subject to rigid restrictions.
The meeting at which the report was
presented was held in the office of the city
clusiOn the Board of Works ordered the
bridges closed to loaded cars. That the
operations of street-railway company
might not be suspended in caring for pas
sengers west of the river the board Dc
cided to allow empty cars to cross the
bridges, the passengers transferring at
either end. Patrolmen are stationed at
the bridges to see that the orders of the
board are carried out.
BRIDGES TO BE STRENGTHENED.
The board yesterday decided to strength
the bridges mentioned by wooden
trusses. The expenses of the temporary re-
pairs will be borne only in part by the city.
1t is estimated that the repairs will cost
about $4,000 and of this amount the In
dianapolis Street-railway Company will be
required to pay about $1,000. These figures
approximations, the exact amounts
not yet being estimated. 1t is the purpose
of the board to make the repairs as expe-
ditfOusly as possible.
Included in his report Mr.. Condron pre-
sented tables of figures with which he con-
WINGED the board of the danger existing.
All the bridges were oVerStreSSed, he said;
the one at West Michigan street from 70
to 80 per cent; the one at Morris street TO
even greater degree-it having been
preserved from collapse by the girder
rails of the street-car trackS-and the one
at River avenue from 81 to Sc per cent. The
Emrichsville bridge is not used for street.
car traffic, but 1t Is overstressed from or
binary traffic. The specific report of the
expert as TO each bridge examined is epito-
mixed in the following recommendations:
THAT the West Michigan-street bridge,
River-avenue and Morris-street bridges be
closed to street-car traffic, as the chances
of having heavily-loaded cars on these
bridges combined with ordinary traffic
loads, could not be positively guarded
against by any system of watchmen, and
such a combination of loads would actually
endanger the lives of a large number of
people.
THAT the roadways of the West Michi-
gan-Street and Morris-street bridges be re-
stricted to a clear width of ten feet each.
combining the traffic on either roadway OF
both bridges to the ten feet adjacent 10 the
outside trusses and keeping all loads off
of those parts of the present roadways
nearest to the center trusses in the case
of the Morris-street bridge also removing
the sidewalks. This will reduce the pos
sible loads on the bridges with minimum
interference to traffic and cause the trusses
to be uniformly loaded with respect to their
relative strengths.
FOR ORDINARY TRAFFIC.
THAT the River-avenue bridge be left
open 10 ordinary street traffic, while closed
to street cars, and that street-railway
rails like those now in the floor be kept on
the bridge and connected to the floor
beams. Such rails will by their stiffness
distribute concentrated loads over several
beams. thereby materially reducing the
floor beam stresses. Expensive re-
pairs are not recommended, however
THAT the floor beams of the Emrichs-
Vile bridge be strengthened at once by
trusting and that the bridge be used as at
present for ordinary highway traffic only,
no electric cars ever being permitted upon
it While the structure is considerably
overstressed by the loading assumed the
location is such that at present heavy traf-
fic does not frequently pass over the
bridge in both directions at the same time
THAT each one of these bridges be re-
placed with the least possible delay by well
designed and adequately strong modern
structures that can be safely depended
upon to carry the heavy street traffic OF a
large city, including electric railway cars
of the largest type now used or that can
he rea sOnablV anticipated.'