Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-12-11
NEW GAL|STE0
STREET BRIDGE
Contract to Walter
Sharpe Bridge
Company.
REINFORCED CONCRETE
Will be Material Used--.J. P.
Bra ,kett Tells of Con-
struction Work.

The contract for the construction
of the reinforced concrete arch bridge
across the Santa Fe River on Calls
teo Street was awarded late yester
day afternoon to the Walter Sharp
Bridge Company, of Ell Dorado, Kan
sas According to the terms of the
begin at once and it must be complet-
ed within four months. 1t will cost
$2,500.
The proposed reinforced concrete
bridge will not only be wider and
more substantial than the wooden af-
fair which it will replace but it will
also be a handsome structure. The
present bridge is about 1G feet wide
while the new one will be 25 feet
wide. The county commissioners had
intended that the new bridge should
be 2G feet wide, allowing for 20
foot roadway and foot sidewalk,
and it was 50 stipulated in the plans
AMI specifications. However, they
found that by reducing the width of
the sidewalk from five to four feet
they could save nearly $500. The
Walter Sharp Bridge Company had
agreed in its proposals to build the
arch bridge according to the original
plans and specifications for $2,7SS. BY
reducing the width of the bridge one
foot the contract price was brought
down to $4,000.
Saved Money by Reducing Width Of
Bridge.
]. P. Bracket of Ration, secretary
of the Walter Sharp Bridge Company,
was present when the bids were op-
ened. AS stated yesterday in the
New Mexican the firm had submitted
five different proposals. The first
two were strictly in accordance with
the two sets of plans and specifica-
items. The other three suggested
changes in the arch design whereby
the work could be done cheaper. The
county commissioners decided after a
discussion lasting several hours to
cut off foot from the width of the
bridge to lessen the cost rather than
resort to the substitutes mentioned.
Mr.. Bracket was adverse to having
any alterations made in the proposals
as submitted but finally concluded to
take the contract for $2500.
AS. already stated the new bridge
will be an arch affair of reinforced
concrete. The total length OF the
bridge will be 61 feet. The maximum
inside measurement of the span will
be As feet with rise in the center
of 9 feet, 8 inches. The abuttments
will be eight feet wide on both sides
and will go down to bedrock. Para
pet walls will be erected on each side
of the bridge three feet high which
will be precaution' against accident
and add to the general appearance OF
the structure. The sidewalk will be
built on the west side of the bridge.
The steel rods with which the con-
crete will be reinforced will be of the
same kind as used in the construction
of the cell house in the new county
Jail building. The rods are corrugated
and known as the Johnson patent
bars. The longitudinal bars in the in
tradoes will have Twelve inch centers
and the rods will be three-quarters of
an inch thick. The transverse and
spandrel wall bars will have twenty
four inch centers and will be half an
inch thick. 1t is figured that with the
single span the bridge will have a
waterway of 2S7 feet.
Structure Will Support Enormous
Weight.
The new bridge will be strong
enough for all purposes. According
to the contract 1t must be able to hold
up live load of 200 pounds for every
square foot of surface. Stone wing
walls will be erected on the two ex-
posed sides of the river to prevent the
bridge from being undermined by the
washing away of the banks in the
event Of high water The stone for
the construction of the wing walls will
De taken from the abuttments of the
present bridge. A thirty foot wing
wall will be built on the south side,
where the channel of the river was
before being diverted several years
ago, and the one on the north side
will be ten feet in length. The bid
for this work which is separate from
the bridge contract is $3.50 per cubic
yard.
"The new reinforced concrete
bridge will be one of the finest of
its size anywhere in the country
Mr.. Bracket stated last evening in
discussing the plans with reporter
of the New Mexican. in my opin-
ion 1t will Ibe more artistic even than
the two handsome stone bridges which
our firm built here on Don Gaspar
Avenue and College Street. The para
pet walls will have panel effect on
the two sides which will serve to
make 1t more attractive than If only
ordinary hand rails were used.
Construction to Be Commenced
Within a Week.
"We will begin work on the new
bridge within week and the work
will be. well advanced by the first of
the year. The contract specifies that
the bridge must be turned over to the
county commissioners within foul
months but II the weather holds good