The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-19
FULTON THE CAUSE
City Engineer Blamed for Weak
ness of Fillmore Bridge.
Inspector Bresett Puts Finger
on Latest City Error.
COMES BACK AT TANDY
Exceptions Taken to Statement
From City Commissioner.
Entire Board Will Make Thor
ough Inspection Tomorrow.

The Fillmore street bridge trouble
at the city hall has aroused the board
of city commissioners and tomorrow
morning in a body they will go to the
new bridge and make a thorough in
spection of its parts. W. S. Fulton,
city engineer, Assistant City Engineer
Gibson, City Draughtsman Forter Will
accompany the commissioners in the in
spection trip. City Bridge Inspector
Bresett has been asked to attend the
meeting which will develop into the
real cause of the worthlessness of this
bridge.
1t will be remembered that the Fill
more street bridge was built at cost
of 81, 900 to the city and has been con-
demned by the city bridge inspector
because Of it's weakness in construc-
ton and the alleged errors of the city
engineer in going over the working
plans.
j. E Bresett, the city bridge in
spector, who criticised and blamed the
city officials for the flaws in the
bridge plans and who pointed out that
this bridge was unsafe for traffic on
account of the actions of the city en-
gineer in planning the bridge and
checking up the figures, gave state
ment to the State Journal this after
noon, in which he answers the charges
made against him by City Commits
sioner Tandy and in which he points
out more directly the cause of the
trouble with this Fillmore street
structure.
Mr.. Bresett claims that Mr.. Tandy
had asked him about the bridge and
he had told him that it was unsafe. In
an interview with a State Journal re-
porter Saturday. Mr.. Tandy claims thaI
Inspector Bresett never complained OF
the bridge until after it was built
In his statement today Mr.. Bresett
goes further into the controversy and
places his finger on w. s. Fulton, city
engineer, as the official who is really
in error and who should have checked
I'D the original blue prints of the
bridge Mr.. Bresett clears G. E. Forter,
citv draughtsman, from any response
bility in connection with the errors n
building the Fillmore street bridge
Commissioner Tandy was of the opln-
ion that the matter was overlooked
first by Mr.. Forter.
The Bresett statement which is an
other side to the city engineering OF
flee trouble at the city hall, reads as
follows:
unsafe, regardless of any statement
Mr.. Tandy may have made
What he says has not changed my
opinion in the least. 1t is hard to be-
lieve that Mr.. Tandy said that had
never entered any protest against the
Fillmore street bridge previous to the
time 1 filed one through the city
clerks office. 1 did. at dlfferent times,
protest against the structure, and did
not receive much satisfaction from
| these protests He remained silent,
and gave me no definite answer. He
also knew that I was going to file a
protest, as 1 met him on the STAIR
! landing in the city hall and told him
| at fault in the statement printed in
| the State Journal on the 18th.
ST don't want anyone to believe for
a moment that am an amateur at this
| business, as 1 believe understand the
| compass and square and structural
| work as we'll as any ordinary me-
aT,he truss rods which Mr.. Tandy
speaks of, capable of carrying 10000
pounds, 1 would very much dislike to
| risk two tons pressure upon, as they
are made of short pieces of 1 y inch
| round iron, and welded in the black
| smith shop. There is at least three or
| four YIELDS in each rod, and any prac-
| teal man in structural work knows
that truss rod should be made the
| proper length in the rolling mill, and
| contain no YIELDS.
| st don't think it right for Mr.. Tandy
to try to shift the responsibility for
| the checking up of blue print OF this
| as he is a student, only short time
| out of college, and has had very little
practical experience. Mr.. Fulton, the
| city engineer, should have seen to this
matter himself I do not not feel as
| sponsible for the weakness of the
/ bridge, as the have carried
out their contract to the let
ter. in accordance with the blue print
| and specifications. and the general
supposed truss rods that they put in
| which there has been SO much talk
] about, were put in as tie Cords and
not as truss rods