The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-27
Pittsburg Engineer Discusses Ter.
minaFs Cancelled Contract
and the Loss.
DEPLoREs cITY's HEsITANcY.
Would Be Barely Possible to Fin
ish Structure in Time for Fair
if Permission Were Grant
ed at Once.

The cancellation of the contract between
the American Bridge Company and the
Terminal Association for the structural
steel work for the elevated loop from Eads
bridge to Union Station almost precludes
the possibility of having the loop completed
in time to handle Worlds Fair traffic, says
Consulting Engineer j. c. Bland of Pitts
burg, who arrived in St. Louis yesterday to
confer with the Terminal officials.
Last Tuesday 1 Cancelled the contract
with the American Bridge Company for the
eco tons of structural stee! for the So
called loop from Eads bridge" said Mr.
Bland last night THE contract was let
last December. and since that time about
one-fourth of the iron has been manufac-
tured.
"All the plans had been made for starting
construction of the loop on July l, and one
plant Of the American Bridge Company was
working almost exclusively on the iron for
this particular job. The cancellation of the
contract has, therefore, Inconvenience the
manufacturers to a great extent, for. be-
sides the workmen employed, fifty drafts
men have been at work on the plans of the
elevated structure since last December.
1.-The loss TO the Terminal Association
cannot be figured at this time. All the work
so far manufactured they will have to &C
cept OF course, the association will be
able to sell much of the steel. but it will he
at a loss, and the disposal of it will take
some time
When asked if work could be continued IL
the ordinance were at once passed, Mr..
Bland said that II within the week proper
authority be given by the city to construct
the loop. the plants of the American Bridge
Company could be called into action. but
the bridge company would not guarantee to
get the structure completed in time for the
Worlds Fair.
BARE CHANCE REMAINS.
1.-THE work necessary to have the loop
completed in such short space of time is
not understood by the general public" con-
tinued Mr.. Bland. These construction
companies must nave time to outline the
work to b. done by their plants. Drafts
men must be employed for months.
Now that the contract is Cancelled, the
plants of the American Bridge Company
will be open for other contracts, and 1t
would be entirely impossible for the Termi-
nal Association to have the loop construct
ed in time to handle the traffic for the Ex-
your city authorities giving the requisite
permission.
"Of course, I am an outsider said Mr.
Bland in speaking of the political aspect of
the situation, but 1 cannot possibly I'M
derstand why there should be any opposi-
ton to the loop.
'If the city is looking for any particular
compensation. why should not this COM
pensauon be tackled onto some of the other
bills: The loop is too essential to the
handling Of the crowds that wish to visit
the Exposition to be defeated.
''On this work alone the Terminal Asso-
citation proposes to spend 100000 They
made arrangements to do it in the least
possible time. Why, even had a contract
or for the foundation work waiting for
telesraphic Instructions to come at once to
ST. Louis, and for several weeks he has
been expecting word. Now the call upon
him has been Cancelled and It is question
IL another could be obtained within several
weeks.
Il have come to st. Louis for the specific
purpose of consulting with the Terminal Of
fciais as to the disposal of the iron already
upon their hands There may be indirect
damages asked by the construction COM
pany, for they have planned many months
30ead on the contract"