Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-05-12

that we could adopt Of a permanent
character We have had submitted to
us the Kahn system Of reinforced
concretes, estimates Of the cost Of
construction of the following bridges:
South Commemrcial street, go
feet wide =. ...............s9 so 526
North Commercial street, 40 feet
wide ................ ...... 1870
State street (beam) 40 feet wide 4,0s5
High street (arch) "a feet wide 1895
Twenty-hfth street (beam) "a
feet wide =. =. .. ANN. a,es5
Asylum avenue (beam) 40 feet
wide ..... e. go. ...... 4,Os5
Capital street, north, (beam) "a
feet wide :. =. =. -. ...... 1885
-|
Total cost of seven bridges. 1896 ,52l
"Dropping out all but South and
North Commercial street bridges, the
cost would be sl7,l2l for the two
bridges. High street bridge would cost
In round numbers 81, 100.
"Your committee will quote the
opinion Of three Of the bridge commit
tee Of the Taxpayers League which
says, in part; 1t would seem that un.
til the street on the south side Of the
creek at this place is graded down and
improved in such manner as win
make it available TO the general pub
lie, the expense Of bridge will hard
ly be justified. (Meaning High street
bridge) The correctness of the find
ings Of the Taxpayers League we leave
TO your judgment. Mr.. Welch, manager
of the Citizens Light & Traction Com
pany, assures your committee that the
company he represents win give $1,000
each To North aud South Commercial
street bridges, and $500 each on the
State street and Asylum avenue bridges
should the city determine TO construct
permanent bridges at the several point
referred to.
"our estimates, as already given, do
not include the cost of filling, which
we would recommend be done at the
expense of the abutting property own
ers. The High street bridge is located
on the intersection Of two streets, and
all the cost, both Of construction and
I'll would be borne by the city, which
would add considerably to the cost Of
this bridge to the figures given above.
'Your committee are Of the opin
ion that II would not be a good business
venture Of the city at this time TO con
struct concrete bridges on either North
Capital street Twenty.ffth street
State street OF Asylum avenue.
Wooden Bridges,
"The life OF wooden bridges 90 be
libera) is from ~ TO IA years, and in
constructing them we must count the
first of constructionsa well as the cost
of maintaining them during the period
of the life of bridge. Take South
Commercial street bridge as an exam
pie to have our estimates Of compare
tive cost of bridges from purely busi
ness point Of view. The annual inter
est on $s526, at 4 per cent. is s3ilO4.
The probable cost Of wooden bridge
is $4,000. The annaul interest would be
Sl6O. The annual cost of a wooden bridge
$4,000, distributed through a period Of
IA years, s2s5 per year. II would re-
quire not less than 10000 feet Of lum'
Der 10 floor this bridge, say at 80 per
thousand, or 5000, and at least il will
require not less than three coverings
during the IA years, making $3.50 for
repairs during the period considered,
or distributed Annually, $l4l per year,
or making a grand total Of the fixed
charges on a wooden bridge 1856 against
s34l for interest on the cost Of con
crete bridge, a difference annually in
favor Of the concrete bridge Of s245'
We have in our comparisons omitted the
labor account required TO keep a wood
en- bridge in repair, which is always
considerable. In a concrete bridge we
have something permanent. In wood
repairs are constantly required, entail
ing expense and annoyance, and when
the wooden bridge is TO be renewed IL
requires quite a large sum Of money,
which the city is not likely to have in
the treasury account any time that can
be diverted at once for the improve
ment.
"With the above showing we deem
il for the best interests Of the city
that at least the North and South Com