Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-29
J. W. T0WLE TALKS ON BRIDGE
Says Collapse was UnavOidnbIe-OPig-
inal Contract Price VIII
Save Him.

Regarding the Waterloo bridge that fell
in the river while being moved by John w
Towle's men, Mr.. Towle says;
The bridge was span lA feet long and
was built in 1875. 1t was one of these old
fashioned iron bridges, that instead of hav-
now have, 1t had cast iron connections at
the shoe and hip, and at other points in the
the Af6er b6arg Yf%g 0ndsv the wSas
impossible to tell exactly what did happen,
or to what cause the failure of the bridge
could be attributed except that for some
cause not known these cast iron cOnneC-
tions. cracked and caused the bridge to
fall in the river.
whose business is greatly affected, tenn
porary bridge will be constructed at a very
span will be drawn from the river and re-
placed on permanent foundations which
were, being prepared for the structure when
parts Of the bridge will have to be rebuilt.
The extra expense involved by the failure
of this bridge probably will not exceed $500,
and will be borne entirely by me. How
ever, there is nothing whatever in the con-
tract or the bond given on this work that
would compel me TO do so. In work of this
class which involves shifting of a bridge of
this kind 1t is always customary to esti-
pense to protect any accident of this ma
ture, so that in this case l feel that the
original price provided in the contract will
see me out practically safe in a financial
way.
All parties connected with the accident
regret exceedingly the same, but it is one
of those things that will happen upon
risky work of this kind / took some ex-
ception to the editorial of June q. Evil
IDENTIFY the writer had not kept himself in
formed as to the progress of bridge matters
In Douglas county.
1t seems that Mr.. Clutter, under the
supervision of County Surveyor Edquist
has prepared an excellent set of plans for
most substantial class of steel bridges
which will govern the construction of all
future work In the county. And this class
of work could hardly be referred to as or
namental bridges resting on unsteady legs.
l will say nothing whatever in reference
| to the Elkhorn bridge at the crossing on
Military road, concerning which Messrs.
House and Detrick made report to the
the construction a Of 3his bridge and nd have have
never informed myself upon the matter.
However, recently contract has been let
| for the rebuilding of the east founda-
| tion. .......
There is no county in the state that
struction work is carefully done than does
| Douglas county at the present time. Mr..
| Edquist, the present county surveyor, as
well as the County board, is very par
| represents the interests of the county, is
| always present. A man to be a compe-
tent inspector does not necessarily have to
be an engineer so long as he thoroughly
| understands the principles of good con-
| struction.
The recent law passed by the late legis.
| lature making the county surveyors of
| Douglas and Lancaster counties the county
| engineer places the entire responsibility OF
| this matter now with the surveyor Here
| tofore II has been optional whether or not
| the surveyor be employed upon this work
| but II has always been customary ir
| Douglas county for the surveyor to act
as the engineer upon all construction and
to provide competent inspector for each
/ and every job.