The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-02-23
MACKENZIE,s OPINION.
Regarding the Jail Branch Bridge
Matter.


Editor Barre Daily Times, Dear SIR;
Would you please grant Us space 10
state our reasons for not fuyoring the
Jail branch bridge proposition?
ms question OF Il bridge is not a
new one, as q matter Of fact il has been
known for some time that an effort WAS
going 70 be made to have one placed III
The vicinity of thc sautllpasterly end OF
Batchcldcr street and with this object
N view 4 petition WIS presented to the
city council which was referred 10 tho
street commissioners and eityengineer to
investigate and report The matter was
investigated and reported adversely by
the committee.
That there is need OF a bridge here
can hardly be disputed, and the benefits
to be derived by teanisters coming from
the town TO the city would be great, but
we take the position that tie town
would be the principal beneiieiaries and
we are Of opinions that the town should
build II, for the following reasons.
First. "A suitable street would have
to be constructed from the Ayers street
bridge to the city's line. This would en-
tail the grading Of Batchelder street its
entire length. This is a three rod street
AMI in most places is not worked more
than twenty feet and in some places not
that, notably from Boston street to the
city limit; from G street to Boston
street is clay hill with very steep
grade that viii have to be overcome, and
from Boston street to the line is through
a swamp.
Second. In our opinion there are four
bridges inside the city that require att
tention before going outside. The four
bridges are as follows, a. The Oh Gov.
cred bridge on South Main street has
been pronounced unsafe for heavy traf.
fic, and in view Of the fact that re-
solution has been passed by the city
council calling for The extension Of the
street railway tracks, this bridge will
have to be replaced with a modern street
structure, should this be done and tile
city and the railroad company build the
bridge jointly, the expanse would be
borne, two thirds by the city and one.
third by the railroad company. This
bridge with the abutments would cost
about $4,000 or $l1 600 This estimate
is based ON bridge of 10 tons capacity.
B. The Harrington avenue bridge over
Gunncr's brook has been condemned and
will have to be replaced with steel
girdcr one this coming summer or the
avenue closed to She public with the eX-
ception of the Maple avenue entrance.
G. The wooden affair over this same
brook between Laurel and Main streets
will have to be replaced in the near fu
ture with 9irder bridge. The cost Of
these two bridges would be in the vi
cinity Of $4,000 including abutments.
ID. The amount Of traffic that goes over
the Prospect street bridge has proven
that IL is entirely inadequate This will
have 10 be replaced with structure
about double the width and capacity III
the present one a forty ton bridge with
the lengthening cf the abutments 10
meet the requirements would cost $4,000
oT $4,000. II will thus he readily under
stood that for the present at least the
city viii be busy enough in the bridge
business without making any effort TO
huild any part Of one outside
Third, We want TO be distinctly un-
derstood. however. that when We re-
numerate these objections We do not
lose sight of the fact that the city wonl;l
in time derive considerable benefits from
the Jail branch bridge, for when this
bridge is built it viii open up and dc.
yelop the property In this vicinity and
consequently the city would get more
from the increased taxation
Fourth. There is no definite line in
this vicinity that the city can claim as
its own. This will call for a re-suryey
70 End out Just what the city owns aud
what il does not. As We said in The
beginning of these remarks there win
probably be bridge placed here, but
we reiterate our opinion that the town
should build it,
MACKENZIE.