The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1910-12-20


ing that the amount was inaduuate
the commission met n representative
of the road and it was finally agreed
that the acceptance of $4,000 as
compromise measure should be ad-
vised. This was down In the report to
your body on date of July 6, when
the recommendation Of the Commits.
sion was adopted.
Plans Made.
In August following, propositions
were received from the Strauss COM
pany, and also from the Scherser
company for the movable span. The
latter company only, however, offer
ed bridge planned to conform to
the skew arches demanded by the
government regulations for the fixed
spans and the piers to sustain them
and the draw. all others required
such long spans for the channel that
they did not appeal to the Commits
sion.
With all the owners of lift-bridge
patents there was required the pay
met of royalty, as we'll as the pay
| ment for the preparation of plans
and srecitica tons and the super
vision of this portion of the work.
This was a separate proposition from
the fixed spans, all of the plans and
specifications tor which were prepar-
ed and furnished by our Engineer,
Mr.. Raymond f. Stoddard.
A favorable contract was entered
into with SchersIr company, and late
in September of that year their pre-
liminary plans were presented. These
plans did not meet the approval of
our commission on account OF the
fact that the CONFERENCE.-The extend
ed to low water mark when the
bridge was open, mahing it probable
that pumping would have to be re-
sorted to to keep the pits clear of
water. 1t was deemed Wise to send
representative to Chicago, the home
of the Scnerzer company. to endeav-
or to arrange some Improvement in
| this respect. This was done. and re-
suiled in developing new plans which
raised that portion of the bridge two
feet higher than the first plans con-
templa .eu, ana also shortened the
counterweign-s so as to bring the pits
one foot below mean hAsn water,
thus allowing them to be drained by
gravity through positive waves. TINS
change added sbour $4,000 to the
estimated cost of the draw-span, but
other changes upon the" fixed portion
nearly compensated for this outlay
and ker the cost at about the orlgl-
nal estimate. The first plans contem-
p4ated constructing the oraw-spap
ABOUT three feet higher than the old
bridge. This added increase in the
height established grade of two
per cent. on the west approach, aud
slightly less THAI three per cent upon
the east approach. a limit that the
COMMISSION felt ought not to be eX-
ceeded.
These changes of course affected
the improved properties on the north
side OF each approach. Satisfactory
arranoe re made WIN these
owners which obviated any damage
claims by reason of the change of
grade.
Contract Let.
With the various preliminaries de-
cided, plans and specifications were
finally adopted and bias invited
through advertisements in several
engineering publications with a re-
suit of eight bids. There were no
distinctly local bidders. The estimates
were based upon unit prices for all
| material IN place for building the
foundations ana approaches; the
superstructure called Ior lump sum
bid. For the unit prices approximate
estimates by our Engineer X. +.
Stoddard, were furnished of the
material required. In arriving at the
total of each bidder a large amount
of reckoning was required and the
| first results showed approximately
$4,000 difference in the estimates
received, 18th $7,663 between the
two lowest.
In the summing UP of the several
estimates submitted there was appar-
emit a difference of opinion existing
among the contestants regarding the
definition of few items of the speci-
fications. In oroer to make the prop
| oSition entirely fair the COMMISSION
invited further conference with
the four lowest competitors with the
view of making these items more
clear and specific, thus securing a
possible revision of the estimates up
on these items.
The final result proved a difference
of $1,1S6 between the two lowest. The
second lowest bid was from the Snare
and Tr.est company of New York
City and the contract was awarded
to that company upon January g,
1907.
The appraised estimate upon this
contract was. $264.134.9 80
The final estimate when the briage
was accepted was $500. 1856, 80
saving from the appraised esti-
mate of $7,290.00
From time to time since the COM
mission awarded the contract there
has appeared in local papers a veil
ed criticism of the action taken; the
claim being that local bidders were
not recognized and that the local bid
was the lowest offered. The commits
sion have never publicly answered
this for the reason that they were
governed in this matter by strictly
buSineSS-lk EN- etnOOS, actlnS as they
assumed that any other business-m
would in his private affairs under
similar circumstances; not deeming it
polite to publish the reasons; reasons
that appealed to the best judgment
of every member, and against which
the slight difference in cost was of
little weight. Nothing has since oc-
CURED to cause a change of opinion
on the part of the commission Sever
al other considerations beside the
responsibility of the parties governed
the decision.
The commission thought it a wise
precaution to preserve as close as
possible a record of the conditions
prevailing before and during the pro-
g-ess of the work, in anticipation of
any possible claim arising from chan
ges made necessary by the building
of the new bridge. Photographic
views were taken from four different
locations before the commencement
of operations and successive views
have been taken each month during
it's progress; these will be turned
over to the city for record.
Temporary Bridge Caused Delay.
The original estimate of costs pro-
vided for a temporary bridge which
was to have been located on the north
side OF the old bridge at an estimated
cost of $1,000 Subsequent events
proved this plan impracticable and
delayed the construction.