The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-19
Desires slightly
BRIDGES over CUT
Continued from First Page.)

mission which was appointed by Mayor
John P. Studley. 1t was referred to
subcommittee, and George Dudley
Seymour a member of this, was CONF
missioned to communicate with the
railroad officials having charge Of the
work on the cut. Mr., Seymour's let
ter to Yice-President E. H. McHenry of
the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford Railroad company was as follows:
July 5th, 1907.
e. H. McHenry, Esq,
Vice President, Consolidated Railway
New Haven, Conn.
Dear Sir
/ Since the publication of my open
Letter" in the Sunday papers of June
End, several persons have spoken to
me about the concrete bridges now be-
ing built to span the cut, expressing
the wish that these bridges might be
made, to some extent, ornamental, and
adapted to carry electric lights. Now
that the work progresses and 1t is APP
pretended that these bridges are to be
provided, as in the case Of the bridge
across the cut at Grand avenue, with
board fences at the sides, l have been
urged to use my efforts to have you
replace the wooden fences with high
concrete copings provided with sup
ports or standards for electric lights
have also been urged to get the COM
mittee appointed by the mayor to Sc
cure a plan" for the Improvement of
the city to make the same appeal to the
officials of the road The concrete
bridge over the Housatonic at Derby
has concrete copings. producing a con-
sistent and dignifed effect. One can
not imagine that that community
would for moment allow these copings
TO be replaced by painted wooden fen
ces. 1t is now too late in the season to
get the committee together, and there
fore l venture to take the matter up
personally with you
There are, / believe five of these
concrete bridges crossing the cut with
In the city limits. BY finishing them
with concrete copngs providing for
electric lights, they would go far to
redeem the cut On the other had II
these five bridges are provided with
nothing more than board fences they
will serve only to accent the dislgure-
ment of the city by the cut they will
be an eye sore and a reproach. The
proposed concrete copings might be
made either plain, or ornamental with
panels, or In some other way. | am
reminded that there Is now working In
this city as craftsman sculptor who
has had the advantages of working
with Mr.. Augustine Saint-Gaudens,
Mr.. Daniel c. French and other prom
inent sculptors. He Is executing in
concrete under the direction Of Mr.
Bartram Goodhue, of the firm Of Gram,
Goodhue & Ferguson, q series of gro
tesques for the buildings now being err
ected at West Point for the Unked
States Military Academy. These gro
tesques are of a very high order Of
merit, but being executed in concrete
are inexpensive. The sculptor Is also
executing a variety of other ornamen-
tai work, seulpturesque in form, In
concrete for the West Point buildings.
Think it would be possible, at very
small expense, to enrich these proposed
copings with some ornamental work
which would give these bridges dis
tinct artistic value. They are we'll de-
signed-their arches are fine In form,
they deserve TO be finished with con-
crete copings rather than finished with
board fences. With such coplngs, even
sparingly decorated with sculptured
forms and supporting electric lights,
they would be an ornament to the city.
know of no one public Improvement
Of the same cost which would bring as
much satisfaction to the community as
the proposed Improvement Of these
bridges.
II the Consolidated road would res
pond to the wishes of the community
In this matter, the citizens having pub
lie improvements In hand would be
greatly encouraged In their efforts and
strengthened in their position, and
civic pride greatly stimulated.
Hoping that this may receive your
earnest consideration, and looking for
ward to favorable reply / am,
Very truly yours,
GEORGE DUDLEY SEYMOUR.
Mr.. McHenry's response to Mr.. Sew
mour's letter was as follows:
New Haven Conn, July s, 1907.
MI, George D. Seymour, SeS Chapel
Street, City:
Dear Sir--Acknowledging receipt of
yours Of July suggesting replacement
of wooden fences on our present street
bridges across 1.-THE cut with high con-
crete copings.
! quite agree with you concerning the
of the present fences, and
would very gladly have provided a
more slightly form of construction.
found this very difficult to carry ont.
however, as the city required fences of
abnormal height, which would be pecu-
liarly difficult and costly to treat in
any satisfactory manner. You will I'M
derstand that the object of the fences
is to conceal the engine smoke and
steam from the view of horses. Ex-
cepting for this, there is no reason why
a properly proportioned ballustrade and
coping could not be provided.
1t is more than probable that condt-
tons will be materially changed in the
near future by the extension of electric
service to New Haven and points be-
yond, and as any form of construction
that would be erected under present
conditions would be blackened by
smoke and rendered unsightly in APP
pearance, there is every reason to defer
the improvement.
Also, think you may have over
looked the probability OF the streets
being lined with buildings following the
of electric traction, In
which case any expenditure for fences
would be lost.