New-York tribune., 1909-09-04
HUNDRED ON BRIDGES
ATTACKS DEPARTMENT.
QueenSbOrO Structure ParticuCdrll
Comes an for Condemnation.

The Committee OF one Hundred yesterday at
hacked the Mcclellan administration for its mis-
management of the Bridge Department in general
and the deplorable weakness of the. Queensboro
Bridge in particular
The Tribune more than year ago exposed the
weakness of the bridge Showing in great detail how
In the original plans the changes made by the Brluse
Commissioner had reduced the capacity of the
bridge, making ii necessary 10 unload II OF the
heavy steel girders which. If left the structure
might have caused a repetition of the quebec
Bridge disaster. The Hundreds statement says:
The conspcgogs failure Of the present present admhIs ID Ims
trati9n IN handing the transit pfooTt Tbs bridge
completed after considerable delay. Is f9una 10 S ~
less than half efficient as was Originally plaer ne
The first plans called for bridge capable OF car
rying l26eO pounds per lineal foot the bridge as II
IN ts present form possesses is not availed of be-
cause In this as in the case other bridges; the
administration not to have had IN fnlh1 me
pushing forward Of plans for the ado1nr Of tbose
plans after the bridge had been completed. -,
tcians an Opportunity TO seize control of the Bridge
acterized with some truth as Sp0tIc S3t in the
holder and who is now SECOND pdg IfLn'S on,mis m
-sioner. Best changed the plan OF the brd2e 70
provide for four elevated tracks so clunlSt % !So
bridge was completed It discovered that it
Eroud not sustain the four elevated tracks, and the
heavy girders which had been laid on the bridge
20 support these tracks were removed 10 ma tS aS
t4aSfs blaSS f0T sn'e' S''ot'S SaDD'' ',,S - w. .
od5 sv q1fe Mfdh the Queensboro @ % Bridge night
made available to the general public without con
siderable delay. In deciding whether plans furlish-
ing more direct connections between the PRINCIPAL
avenue OF travel in both borouShs should be adopt
ed there has been a characteristic delay ,
The development of city bridges is very much
larger question than il seems to be considered by
the present administration. 1t is important that
when administration is elected this IAN men
be chosen who be relied upon TO give the ques-
lion prompt and thorough consideration and Wig
orous action Only by the election of such officials
can a repetition q the absurd fZZle IN the con-
struCtion and development Of the greensboro
Bridge be prevented
Acting Mayor MCGOWAN. when asked yesterday with
reference TO the protest of the Queens Borough c-
zens against the inaction OF the Board of Estimate
and Apportionment the granting Of a franchise
to the South Shore Traction Company. said the
blame lay with the Public Service Commission He
said:
IF the protesting citizens would read the news
papers they would know better than to find fault
with the Board IF Estimate. The board, mat
of fact granted "A franchise TO the South Shore
Traction Company TO Operate over the Queens
boro Bridge some months ago. with tho understand
ing that the privilege could be extended to other
companies 10y the city upon ike terms. The Public
Service Commission fit to disapprove the form
of contract the ground that its terms were not
satisfactory"
Commissioner Bassett said the fault lay with
ihe Board Of Estimate and Apportionment because
the franchise granted by the board made pro-
vision for the future development of queens
The commission" said he. would gladly have
approved the franchise for the South Shore Traction
Company. but consent to give the road monopoly
of only available for surface between
cause there was no provision for transit for the
proper future development Of the territory over
which this traction company would have fun control
for fifty years"