The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-05
NEW REGULATIONS
FOR FREE BRIDGE
Though Considered Safe, Com
mission Adopts Precautionary
Measures.
WHAT Mr.. sADLER SHOWS
Says Rules Might Indicate That
Structure Is iii Dangerous
Shape.

Without desiring to reflect upon Of
ficials and citizens who are responsible
for the present condition Of the Rich
mond- Manchester Free Bridge, Mr.. Jo-
seph r. Sadler, in a letter to The
Time%- Dispatch yesterday, called at
tention to new regulations which might
indicate that the structure Is not alb
solutely safe. AS heretofore printed
in this newspaper, Mr.. julius a.
Hobson, member OF the James River
Bridge Commission, stated that al
though the commission would urge that
new spans be put in, the report Of the
engineer showed that there was no
danger of collapse.
Mr.. Sadler, like other citizens. how
ever, is impressed with the Importance
of erecting n new bridge, and cmpha-
sizes the necessity of that plan by
the following questions, which She
thought should be answered
Some New Regulations. VI
"F'irst If the bridge is safe, why is
1t that since the examination by the
engineers, all southbound street cars
are required to stop over pier while
the northbound cars arc passing. and
why is 1t that special watcllman is
stationed on the bridge, to see that
there is no congestion OF heavily loaded
wagons?
Second. Why is it that the writer
has only observed this change in the
rules since the examination of the
bridge by the engineers, when here
tofore the street cars and wagons
passed ad libitum?
Third. Where can you find two cities
of the size and Importance of Rich
mond and Manchester, with the bust
closely interviewer. separated by q
river the size of James River. with
such limited communication by
bridges?
Fourth. With Mayo's Bridge closed
to street car traffic and the Free
Bridge, whether safe or unsafe, carry
ing perhaps three times the traffic
that 1t was designed to carry. what
would be the consequences If the Free
Bridge shorld be allowed to remain in
its seemingly unsafe condition until
that should be pronounced unsafe and
closed to traffic?
Fifth. More serious still, where
would the responsibility rest If after
all the caution which is now being ex-
ercsed in handling traffic over this
bridge it should become necessary to
close the same to traffic?
SlStn. Why SnOulu lne CltleS Oh
Richmond and Manchester longer de-
fer the matter of building decent
bridge connecting the two cities, when
it is obviously necessary to the most
casual observer that we stand sadly
In need of such a structure?
Seventh. If any accident should hap
pen and there should be any loss Of
life or suspension OF traflc. who would
be rcsponsible?"
Thinks Bridge Is Safe.
Mr.. Hobson. when shown these ques-
tions last night. said he did not feel
disposed to answer offhand, since he
did not have the report OF the en-
gineers. He explained that there were
spans in the Free Bridge.
Eight Of these have been at one
time or another renewed or replaced"
he said leaving. five that are now
quite old. While the engineers did not
find even these spans to be in dan
gerous condition, we have recommend
ed that they be renewed, and will ask
the City Councils of Richmond and
Manchester for an immediate appro-
priation of $4,000. Meanwhile out of
abundant precaution, we have en-
ployed an extra bridge Waterman. and
have put into effect ARTICULATION which
requires street cars and very heavily
loaded teams to pass each other on
tho piers, 50 as not to have the vibra-
ton and impact Of two heavy cars in
the centre of single span on the older
part Of the bridge. We think these
spans can be replaced without closing
the bridge to traffic"