The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-05
SMITHS DESIGN
FOR NEW BRIDGE
Subcommittee Recommends That
Contract Be Awarded to
Local Firm.
TO STAND ON MAYO SITE
Matter Sent to Street Committee
After Meeting Behind
Closed Doors.
Q STAND ON MAYO SITE

On a divided vote. a subcommittee
of the Council Committee on Streets
OF design g. submitted by |. j. Smith
& Co, for erection Of reinforced con-
crete arch bridge over James River, to
replace Mayo's Bridge. The meeting
was held behind closed doors. and the
Recommendation OF the subcommittee
was the only action made public. |.
J. Smith e Co bid on plans drawn by
the Concrete steel Engineering COM
pany, OF New York, proposing the
Melan system Of concrete reinforce
mcnt.
Fifteen Enter Competition.
Fifteen proposals We're originally
submitted to the Committee on Streets
when bids were invited, ana many OF
the propositions included alternate
methods OF construction, and of finish
in matters of paving. railing and sim
liar matters not affecting the strength
Of the structure. but which might have
large effect on the cost. y subcommt
tee worked through n process OF climi
nation until there We're only five plans
under consideration: those of Stampcr
Bros. & Ragland. Mckay Engineering
Concrete Company and II. NJ. Airport
{: son. Advice of Il .,oard of engineers
WAS then invited to make critical en-
animation of the plans under consid
Grafton, and they were referred to city
Engineer Charles T. Boiling. Colonel
G. r. L. Burgwyn and Wilbur J. Wat
son, a bridge expert OF Cleveland, Q.
All Plans Are Good
The board reported that all five of
no ,lo in,
in each case recommended some minor
modification. When asked for an
opinion the board indicated that if its
recommendation were complied with.
it would put the five designs, irrespec-
tive OF price. in the order given above.
statues Not Considered.
The committee decided that it could
not in fairness consider as part of the
competition an offer OF Sir Moses
Ezekiel TO ornament the Sta,npcr Bros
& RI gland bridge with certain statues,
provided that firm got the award, no
such offer having been made to the
city
Mr. Smith yesterday afternoon sub
mitted in writing Il statement OF the
cost Of making the changes proposed
| by the engineers. which, taken in con
necton with similar statements from
| the other five bidders. made his de-
4 \
/, slightly more than S22l,0O0.
The Airport design, subject to Ger
| tain notifications, was to cost s233,54S
j that of the Carolina Concrete Company
i se3S,900: Mckay Engineering Company
S223,i11. subject to extra cost for fifty
! ihree feet error in measurement be
! tween north and south shore. and
! Stampcr Bros & Ragland s2o7,7lo. All
! Of the bids are subject to certain
,NNt IRA fnr frDC dc rf -inrr
! etc. and to certain credits in optional
cases. and there was some difference
of opinion rs to who was really the
| lowest bidder when all allowances had
| been calculated.
! What TX Proposed.
! The Smith design selected calls for
! stress to carry fifty-ton electric cars.
and $50 pounds per square foot on
i roadway. The length over all from
| width OF roadway is forty four feet,
! with sidewalks on each side including
| railing. OF eight feet. a concrete rail
| ing Of permanent type is provided
! The type of paving is optional, several
proposals being submitted Approach
| is provided on Mayo's Island on each
! side. Trolley poles are provided over
| each pier Provision for street rail
! way tracks is made in plan. hui is
! for siNtccn-inch gas main. for twelve
inch water main. and for ducts for high
| and lower power wires
! Wo alternate designs are submitted
| for lamps for lighting the bridge by
! electricity on underground connections
| The piers are equi distant and the sDans
| uniform in length and height, except
| the two end spans, which by agree
lncnt Of the committee Will he graded
Ia n1c lln I,
! promise grades adopted which propose
| a bridge five feet higher than the
! present structure, sloning at either
| end
! Ample for High Water.
! me nigh water area north Of the
island is calculated for 1882 feet ana
| south Of the island for 2340i feet
! TANNED for q Gambler OF slight arch
I grade. the height above the present
! bridge on Mayo's Island viii be about
IL feet. The stress sheets arc re-
/ ported by the engineers to he correct.
/ ana the supplemental stresses for
| temperature changes have been sub
! nittcd
The vent of water is calculated at
! ",,3"6 square feet. The freshe, Of
! 1896 the highest of which there IS
authentic record, occupied $500
square feet area of waterway. since.
which The Dutch Gap canal has been
4 Widcned, and there are reasons for
ncicving that that height will not be
reached again
Chairman Adams will call meeting.
OF the street Committee shortly. after
when special meeting OF the Com
mon council will be called. the plan
neine TO award the contract so as to
begin work rs soon as possibIc
, GlN Nton,,,.