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


sion submitted is final report to the
Common Council. last night. The
total cost of the bridge was S295, 247 .16,
Including $500 for pavement not yet
constructed. The commission has a
balance remaining OF $10.403.S4.
The report follows:
The Congress Street Bridge Com
mission begs to offer this their final
report. This commission was author
! lied by an action of the common
council taken at a meeting December
IL, 1906, instructing the mayor to
appoint mnittee of five citizens
60 Investigate the ACCESSIBILITY of con-
STRUGGLING a bridge across the PeQuon-
mock river at Congress street; to pre-
pare plans and specifications, togeth-
er with the approximate cost of
same; and said committee was
authorized and empowered to appear
before the board of apportionment
and taxation in reference to an APP
preparation for the same; or IL Deem
ed advisable, to make application to
the general assembly for authority
to issue bonds in the name Of the
City of Bridgeport to defray the
costs, and report back to the COM
mon council their findings in the
matter.
In pursua: .ce of such action His
Honor, Mayor Marcus l. Reynolds
appointed Moses w. Manwaring, Ho-
bart e. French, Samuel w. Hubbell,
Charles NJ. Cole and Bradford D.
Pierce, Jr., as a committee. This
Mayor on December IS, 1905, and
were organized with NJ. w. Manwar-
ing as President and Hobart z.
French as Secretary.
On January z, 1907, this committee
made its first report to the common
oil %Hak no
bridge be constructed at or near the
then existing bridge; and that the
committee be empowered to spend
such sum or sums of money as might
be deemed necessary or proper, the
same to be appropriated by the
Board of apportionment and taxa
ton; that the committee should If
deemed advisable be authorized to
make application to the general as
sembly for IN issue of bonds to be
upon the credit of the city of Bridge
port for the carrying out of the pro.
Ject, and that all funds SO appropriate
ed to said committee be paid out by
the treasurer of the city upon the
order of the bridge committee. This
report and recommendation was a.
January z, 1907. BY act of general
assembly approved May %, 1907, the
issue of bonds by the city of FRIDGE
port was authorized and the COM
mittee was appointed, and confirmed.
Short of Funds.
For a period of about six months
subsequent to the organization of the
committee there were no funds at
their disposal, but this time was, en-
ployed in gaining all available infor-
nation relating to the different types
of lift bridge and other features. At
this period there was appropriated to
the use of the Commission the sum
TO S2,5O0.O0 for preliminary work.
On July 9, 1907, Engineer r. M.
BerFian met the commission and sub
mitted a verbal proposition to act as
consulting en- ineer. His proposition
was later confirmed in writing and
accepted by the commission. This
proposition was upon the basis of a
commission of per cent. upon the
amount of the contracts. On August
z following Major Harry Taylor
Representing the United States Gov
ernment) met the commission and
submitted the probable requirements
of the Government, which were:
That the proposed bridge should have
a modern type of lift draw susceptib-
lie of being opened in, not to exceed
one minute from the time of signal;
should have a clear opening between
tenders of not less than seventy feet;
the piers should be in line with the
current, thus bringing the channel in
direct line with the opening of the
railroad bridge; and that the final
plans when completed should be sub
mitted to the war department for
approval before final acceptance by
the commission.
On the date of August IL, 1907, Mr..
Berrian was instructed to prepare
plans, and submit approximate esti-
mates upon the same, for a bridge
Is feet in width, first for an all steel
Superstructure, and second for one of
n-in with a,
crete fixed spans. He was also re-
quested TO approximate the relative
costs for a purely highway bridge as
compared with one for highway and
trolley combined.
Receive Plans.
On September Z, following, Mr..
Berrian submitted plan for a rs
foot wide bridge with steel bascuIe
draw. and reinforced concrete fixed
spans, with an approximate estimate
of cost as $270,000.00; also AN all
steel superstructure of same dimen-
sions at $255,0O0.0O, both estimate
being exclusive of engineering and
other minor expenses.
Ee also reported that bridge OF
similar construction so foot wide for
highway purposes only would cost
100000 less. The commission then
appointed a subcommittee consist
ing of the president and secretary to
pany in regari to the company's
abandoning their right OF way over
this bridge, or paying the difference
in cost as estimated by the Engineer,
viz S50,00O.00. The negotla lions
extended over a period of several
weeks but with unfavorable results.
On December 2. the committee SUBJ
mitted a report and recommendation
to the common council asking their
cooperation in urging the general
assembly t. enact adequate laws
making it obligatory for electric
roads to bear their share of costs in
such matters. On December II. the
death of Engineer z. M. Berrian
was announced to the committee,
which fact the committee greatly de-
plored. On January 20, following, r..
F. Stoddard met the commission and
submitted a proposition, but await
ing results of negotiations with the
Railroad company, the committee did
not complete the contract with Mr..
Stoddard until the following July.
Late in June of 1908 a proposition
came to the commission from the
railroad company, whereby the COM
pany agreed to pay $4,000 toward
the construI ton of the bridge. AS
action was then pending in the COM
mon council regarding the appeal to
the general assembly, the commission
deemed 1t wise to refer the offer to
the city government. The opinion Of