The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-02
MUELLER
SAYS THAT BRIDGE
IS BADLY DAMAGED
County's Expert Submits a
Written Report to the
Commissioners and Advis-
es Prompt Remedies.
Continued from Page Onc.)

The presence OF these wires are ex.
tremely dangerous both to pedestrians
and to the bridge.
The feed wires mentioned, drop from
a wood pole at the east end of the
bridge and are then supported by wood
brackets which are in turn bOlted to
the steel bridge. The wires are then
carried under the bridge to the power
house a few hundred feet away. The
wires are not supported by porcelain
1nGulators at the wood brackets men
toned, but are resting directly on the
wood timber brackets. In damp wca-
ther these timbers become filled with
water which necessarily act AS con.
ductor of current into the bridge.
There Is no doubt that this condition
has brought about a flow of electricity
into the bridge.
A remedy for this condition would
be, the removing of all feed wires off
of the bridge and keeping them at
least SO feet from any part Of the
bridge and an installation of new Wa
TER proof insulated wire.
There is no reason why these feed
wires should not be carried OR wood
tpo]es and kept away from the bridge.
BY levels taken when the center of
the bridge was unloadcd and again
taken when loaded with an irterurban
car, the DETECTION of the middle span
at car track was one and ifteen-hun-
dTedths inc hes while 80 feet north of
this same point on the extreme north
edge of the pavement, the DETECTION
was siX-tenths inches.
The path of the electric current from
the street car power house, is through
the feed wires to the trolley wire over
the trolley wire through the (motor on
hhe carr to the rail, then through the
rail back to the power house.
The rails are bounded together with
heavy copper bond wires in order to
produce continuous conductor.
With the DETECTION and vibration
taking place on the bridge as above
stated, it is impossible to keep the
bond wires secure between rails, there
fore. it Is plainly understood that a
continuous conductor is doubtful over
the bridge through the rails.
To overcome this condition, the
street car company has return feeders
OF copper wire fastened to the bridge
underneath the floor system which Is
connected to the rails at each APP
proach to the bridge
The purpose of this wire, is to carry
. continuous conductor across the
bridge, Independent Of the rails and in
this manner carry the return current
beyond the bridge back to the power
house.
The current in this return feeder
and also in the rail on the bridge fol-
lows the law Of dividend circuits TAX
ing all paths offered, rails, water, steel.
bridge, iron pipes, earth, etc, in in
verse proportion to their respective re-
INSTANCE.
When car is on the bridge, the
current passes through the trolly to
sthc motor and then to the rails where
1T flows to the law Of divided cir
cult.
With the presence of the continual
'dampress and water under the pave
lment. there is no doubt that part of
the return current finds it's way
Through the steel bridge.
An examination OF the steel struc-
ture under the approaches of the
bridge at each end, shows signs Of
Ielectrolytic action and without ques-
Etion. this condition is taking its part
hn the deterioration of the upper part
of the bridge. With proper drainage
and the elimination of dampness I'M
Ader the pavement and Street Railway
!tracks, along with well insulated
land waterproof conductor of ample
capacity for the return current over
duced to minimum.
For the contemplated repairs and
preservation of the bridge, l shall re-
commend the following:
The problem of proper drainage to
Hhe pavement and street car tracks is
most important The storm water
IBhould be taken in it's initiative and
concentrated in the cutters at each
teide Of the roadway. In order to
properly do this, the roadway must
have a crown or in other words, the
surface of the pavement must be high
Ter at the center than at the gutter
aine. This Is not the case at present.
by locating the track in the center of
khe roadway, the elevation of the rails
would be perhaps five inches higher
than the cutters and with this condi-
tion, water would move from the
track instead of to the track. The re-