The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1907-08-09
RAILRoAp BRIDcE UNsAFE.
Railroad Commission Issued Orders
and Company VIII Act.

elicit reliable information on the sub
iect. By the courtesy of Mr. Royal G.
Dunn, Secretary of the Commission,
the report of the engineer sent by the
Commission TO investigate the condition
of the trestle was rendered the reporter
in It's entirety also the whole CORE
gpoDdence between the Chairman Of the
Commission and the General Manager
of the G. F. & A. r. r.
That the report is based upon unex-
agRerated facts, no one who knows
Frank p. Damon, Inspecting Engineer
for the Railroad Commission, will for
moment doubt. Mr.. Damon is not only
an efficient engineer, but Is pre.emi-
nently a man of practical, good judg-
nient and of a fairness of mind that
will always prompt and compel an I'M
biased report of facts as he finds them.
AS seen by hIs letter, which we pub
fish below with the rest Of the CORE
spOndence. etc, Mr.. O'Dell, General
Manager Of the G. f. e. A. X. r., prom
Uses to have the trestle put in immedi-
ate and first-class condition, 80 that our
travelling public may pass over the road
without feeling that their lives are in
jeopardy:
TALLAHASSEE, FLA, Aug. s, 1907.
Mr.. r. Hudson Burr, Chairman Rail
road Commission, Tallahassee, Fla.
Dear Sir-As per your letter of in
structions dated July %, 1907, ! have
made examination Of the trestle on the
G. F. Il A. X X. across the Ocklock-
nee river, near Mcintyre, Fla, and beg
leave TO report as follows;
The Ockiocknee river at this point is
approximately 800 feet wide. The
trestle was originally a four pile bent
trestle with forty foot span bridge of
wood near the south side, bents placed
10 feet centre to centre stringers 27x
10, with 3x9 braces Piles were after
wards driven, and in the centre, and
two batter piles 10 each bent subse-
quently, three pile bents were driven
on each side of the original bents, there
by reducing the span from nine TO
twelve feet, with the exception Of the
bents on land just north Of the river,
which were left 10 feet centre to cen
tire and stringers were reduced ~ 2x7x
10 under each rail
4 find in several places on the north
end of the trestle where the panel
length is fifteen feet, that one stringer
to each raj is decayed and in bad condi-
tiOn.
Two 7xl5 stringers is not enough
timber where the panel length is fifteen
feet, except for light engines, and
where one Of these is unsOund the
trestle becomes dangerous, and is un-
safe for trains 10 pass over except at
very slow speed.
Beginning just north of the bridge,
for $50 feet the trestle is badly out of
line and surface, caused principally by
settling of piles and bolts not holding
properly on account of bad timber.
Also, over the entire trestle, find in
places one stringer to the rail in bad
condition, decayed caps and crossties,
Guard rail in some places is not sound
enough 10 be Of much service, and in
some places none at all.
The whole trestle, with the exception
of the 40-foOt bridge, is in bad condi-
ton, and should be repaired at once.
Pile-driver should be ordered there at
once TO put in enough piles to make
trestle safe. Also they should take out
the defective stringers at once and put
in sound ones, particularly where the
span Is fifteen feet. This should be
done before the general repairs to the
trestle are begun.
will state for information that the
piles in this trestle are, the greater
part of them, driven into soft rock, and
cannot settle but very little. This
trestle has been damaged several times
by storms and heavy timber coming
against il. At one time some 80, 600
logs were piled against the trestle, and
caused the bottom TO scour from five to
seven feet in places.
They have now, at very near every
bent across the river, one of seven
piles, and one three-pile bent each side
Of this, making thirteen piles to the
bent. II they will use these and prop
erly frame bents on them, making
every other bent double bent, they
will have a foundation that no engine
will settles otherwise, they will have TO
drive piles at every bent across the
river. Respectfully submitted,
FRANK =. DAMON,
Inspecting Engineer for Railroad Com.
mission, State OF Florida.
TALLAHASSEE, FLA, Aug. 2, 1907.
Mr.. j. c, O'Dell, General Manager of
the c. Fl q A. r. r., cambridge,
Dear Sir-our inspecting engineer,
Mr.. Frank +. Damon, has just made
an inspection Of your trestle across the
Ocklocknee river, on the Carrabelle di.
vision Of your road, copy of which is
herewith inclosed.
You will notice from this report that
the trestle is In an unsafe condition
The commissioners desire that you put
this trestle in safe repair without de-
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