The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-08-04

communication signed by A. r. Miller
and others are true and We hereby
adopt said communication and every
statement and allegation therein con-
tanned. and make it part Of this re-
port.
We further find. in addition to the
matter set up in said communication.
that said bridge is out Of repair, gen.
orally some of the planks Of the floor
thereof are rotten or broken and
should be replaced; the stringers or
protection along the sides have in
many places rotted or torn away;
some of the underneath timbers are
rotten and some Of the caps on tsp Of
the piling are rotten and some of the
timbers of the pilings themselves are
rotten and decayed. We recommend
that said bridge be generally over
hauled and repaired by replacing the
parts which are gone and which are
rotted with new pieces.
In our opinion it would be imprac-
ticable and impossible to make the
portion of said bridge particularly to
In said communication safe and At for
travel by any work upon the mate
rails therein contained. The materials
contained in asid portion of the
bridge are SO rotten and decayed that
1t would be unsafe to use any but a
small portion thereof and your COM
mittee therefore recommends that all
of said portion Of the bridge be torn
away and that 1t be repaired by en-
tirely replacing 1t with new construc-
ton.
Your committee have also investi-
gated the river bed and have informed
themselves as to the heighth frequency
and force Of the flood waters in said
river and have consulted with bridge
experts and others acquainted with
the relative lasting qualities Of wood
iron and steel under conditions like
those In and around said bridge. and
We. as a result. beg further to report:
/. That it would cost about 100000
to repair said portion Of the bridge
by replacing it with wooden work sim
liar to that now there.
2. That it would cost about So
10000 to repair said portion by put
ting in three SO-fOOt steel spans of the
uniform width Of 16 feet and Of about
the same height as the present bridge.
3. That such wooden bridge would
be much less durable and more likely
to be washed away by the spring
floods Of water and ice than an iron
and steel bridge.
In the opinion Of your committee
the general repairs upon the bridge
other than upon the 2fO feet mention
ed in the communication referred to
would cost about $4,000.
1t is therefore the opinion of your
committee. based upon such investiga-
ton that the best and most economical
method Of repairing said bridge would
he to make the general repairs herein
referred to and to entirely tear away
the 24O feet described in the commune
cation heretofore referred to and to re-
place it by permanent steel and iron
construction. and we. therefore, rec
Ommend that such be done.
We further recommend that the tim
bers and materials in said 24O feet he
used in SO far as practicable in the
repair and restoration Of the other
portion of said bridge.
Dated July 14th. 1909.
J. F. SEIZURE.
LOUIS SCHwARZ,
JOHN GOETZ.
ADAM SMITH.
NJ. f. CLOTHER.
W. NJ. POLLARD.
The following resolution was intro
duced by Supervisor Schwarz:
Whereas, certain communication.
signed by more than three citizens and
taxpayers Of the state Of Nebraska.
relative to the bad condition Of the
Platte river bridge south Of Column
bus. over the main channel OF said
river. was received by Supervisors
Schwarz and Smith and the county
clerk, and called to the attention Of
the board on July 13. 1909. whereas. a
consisting of the entire
board. was appointed to investigate
said bridge and make recommends
ton. and
Whereas, Said committee has report
ed finding the facts stated in said COM
to be true. adopting the
same as part Of this report, and maxi
ing certain recommendations. and also
finding that said bridge is out Of re-
pair generally. now, therefore. be it
Resolved. BY the board Of supervis-
ors Of Platte county. Nebraska:
/. That the facts stated in the
are true and the same
Is ordered spread upon the record. 1t
Is further resolved and found that
said bridge is badly out of repair and
should be repaired forthwith.
2. That the recommendations and
findings Of the facts of said commit
tee be and they hereby are adopted
by the board.
3. That tfe commissioners Of
Polk and the board of supervisors %
Butler County and they hereby are
that said bridge is unsafe for
public travel and that the same be
forthwith to make it safe and
passable by the public.
and Butler be and hereby are each re-
quested to fix a time and place to meet
for the purpose of providing all ar
for the joint contract for
the needful repair Of said bridge gen.
orally and by entirely rebuilding the |
40 feet. more or less. referred to in /
The communication above mentioned.
Provided that II said boards Of Polk /
md Butler. or either Of them. fail or
twenty days after the service OF these
to make said arrangement
Tor said joint contract, then August |
q, 1909, at the hour Of 2 o'clock p. m Il
II said day in the court room In the