The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-02-11


Al the ms,iins ui the board u select
mrn Last evening the Wet Tiyrf bfidg,
Aas the subject under discussion. Tie
fall board was present and IuNn Agent
! 4, T., iafIsnirf listened iU the discussion
ahith wa. lei hy ], ". Sluffs Ut Conoori.
y. H., consulting bridge engineer oi the
llasion & Maine railroad, Mr. Stotrs came
tp liraitlsbura yrsiruiaN afternoon aud ia
company with the ,rl-ytmcn visited the
bridge % make an investigation oi the
need ui iuiihrT Iriuiofring the footing. oi
the afrhr.,
At the meeting Mr. StprIs stated that
the weight OF the arches. which amounts
to over JNOb1 pounds each. with the hort
lnntal weight ct thrust, a. bridge eng
necrs expires Il. would require about -
tons OF material back OF the iooiings ni
The arUhc,, lie did not attempt to make
a detailed report ul his findings, but stated
that be- would not recommend placing
concrete about the footing, oi the archie.
IN the shape oi a pocket, a he said that
such a pocket would cause the foot ui
each arch TO rot. He .aid that within
three OF four years such ruitlng would al,
low the arches to crowd back aud settle,
aud It would he a hard job To put the
arches back into proper shape, lie sug
cut oil and a concrete backing could he
did which woui, 80 satisfactory,
lie stated that IN his opinion Engineer
T.. X Cary Of the Connecticut River Pow.
,r company failed to take into considcra.
ton the thrust uf 15 tons which the arche.
would impose upon the abutments when
he made HE recent examination OF th.
bridge and gave hls approval Of the work
81 raising the structure.
Mr. Storrs told the selectmen that he
considered il incumbent upon the power
company 10 not only provide a footing
sufficiently STRONG To hold the arches from
prowding back, but to put the arch on the !
east side OF the bridge which has settled |
into proper position even though the arch !
was drawn down 10y the tightening OF the |
rods which crowded the footings out Of |
position. lie wa, very emphatic IN saving /
that he believed that the arches had |
crowded the stone work out oi position /
through no fault of the selectmen. hut sim.
pIy from the fact that Engineer Cary had |
forgotten To state 10 the sclectmen that
no attempt should be made TO tighten up
the rods before the footings OF the arche>
had been properly reinforced.
Mr. Storrs said that had he made such
an error in reporting the condition oi the
bridge and permitting work 10 be done on
reinforced. he would not allow the Con
lecticut River Power company, nor the
eectmen OF Brattehoro To stand the eX.
lense which will hc cntalled in putting the
,rch back into it, proper position He
iid that he would stand the expense him
eli ii he could raise the funds.
Referring To the matter of reinforcing
he footings OF the arches with concrete
Is the Connecticut River Power company
proposes to do, Mr.. Storr, said that the
electmen should demand to know the
uality OF the concrete to be used and
hould insist upon an analysis being made
t not only the sand but the cement which
vii be used and pointed out striking ex ;
mples in his own experience where con ,
rete work had proven practically worth
,ss because the material used was below =
ne standard adopted by engineers. =,
He acknowledged that it would be eS- ,,
ensive to put the east or lower side arch ;
ack into position unless it could be done /,
y lacking il up from horses on the ice,
ut said that he could suggest several !
ays that it could be accomplished. How !
yer, he looked upon that work as be =
'nging to the power company. ana would !
ave it for the companys engineer to de- !
de He said that the use OF the bridge :,
its present position for ordinary traf- !
G he did not consider dangerous, but |,
hen the work of raising the east arch i !
egun he would not recommend using the !
ridge i
He took exceptions to the statement of
ngineer Cary that the bridge would stand =
ie weight of the heaviest type of steam l
'ad roller and pointed out by IrathematT-
Il calculation that the bridge was not {
tended to carry such load. which j
mounts to about Is tons He placed the j
aximm load that the bridge might be J
.pected to stand at considerably less. '
Mr.. Storrs will make detailed report j
the selectmen as To his examination of v
e bridge. and will recommend the quaE'I j
!, of concrete to be used and methods for d
the footings of the arches l.
hich are now crowded out of place, as {
Id in last weeks Reformer +