Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-18
CHEAPER TO GIVE AWAY
 BRIDGE THAN KEEP TT.
Says Civil Engineer Preston of Water bury About Thames River Bridge.

BRIDGE THAN KEEP TT. Says Civil Engineer Preston of Water
 bury About Thames River Bridge.
 In a signed communication to the Waterbury American, Charles H. Preston, Jr, of Waterbury, formerly of this city, advances some suggestive drawbridge and the offer of it to the state made by the New Haven road
 MT. Preston. who is a well known civil engineer. writes in part:
 President Charles Mellen of the New Haven railroad wishes to present the state of Connecticut or the city of New London with a bridge over the Thames river at New London, the some 20 years ago. was nearly $1,500.- coo
 That either state or city dc not en- thuse over this proposed gift, which has tail attached. 1. e.. that the Con- time lay its trolley lines over the same, is apparent from the fact that even though the offer. whether kind or otherwise, and made more than four years ago. is still pending.
 Consider the Situation
 Now, let us take the bull by the horns and consider the situation from all sides and conditions: While Presi- dent Mellen has apparently very kind ly rendered this bridge, which we must agree would cost the state from $1.250,6 600 to s1 1,500, ,6G0 to construct that is, as 8 new highway bridge let us view the condition arising, as would MT. Mellen, in the event that the bridge is not accepted.
 Doubtless the government would de- rBand this old structure entirely eIim- mated, including old steel work piers, abutments and old lenders, etc. clear to bottom of river the same taken away, making the Thames river, at this bridge site, as free from obstruc- tion as previous to the erection of the bridge.
 Cost of Demolishine.
 Scrap iron and scrap steel would net from SIP to SIS per ton, while it may have cost as high as S105 to SIP per ton. new.
 Abutments piers, all masonry and lenders removed to river bottom, dis regarding previous costs, now worth nothing.
 Would the total scrap iron and steel price with the tremendous costs of eliminating the old structure meet the total bridge demolishing expen- allure, and would President MelIen prefer to allow the bridge to stand as gift or assume the demolishing costs? Surely, if the, state or city were to assume the bridge as theirs and then allow the Connecticut com pany to establish and maintain their tracks across the same President Mel len would much prefer this method.
 Opportunity for the State.
 So far as the reliability and fore- sightedness in the states assumption of this highway bridge proposition there can be no alternative but that the adoption of the bridge for high way purposes is assuredly economical and doubtless another opportunity for bridging the Thames will never pre- sent the many favorable conditions as at present exist in this proposition.
 It is also an assured fact that the location of highway approaches both on the west or New London end or east or Groton end are practicable, the bridge is amply strong, has years Of usefulness for highway purposes, the present draw span could be so divided that the New London half cculd be used as a fixed or rigid span while the Groton half could be oper- ated as rolling lift or Bascuie draw span meeting all government require ments. particularly that of span. 15o feet. more or less.
 Plan for Alterations.
 An expenditure of s170,000 would erect 8 new masonry pier and alter the present draw span as above de- scribed, making in the writer's opin- ion a very economical bridge with it's 1,423 feet of length, 3S feet clear height above mean low water and amply wide and particularly where conditions are much adverse to economical pier and
 
 ter, sand and river slit to contend with under new construction.
 With the proposed s1,000. GOO harbor improvement appropriation the state may feel that the present Is an inop- perfume time to assume this added in debtedneSs, but. be that as it may, ferryboat facilities at present existing at New London are surely antedated, the state and city demand this bridge as a public and immediate necessity, and the present time is the time for acquiring the same.
 New London, situated as itsis direct ly on the Atlantic waterfront would in this event be located on direct air line for the automobile travel from all points south to New England via New ' orlz and Boston, which would not only financial, industrial and other re- sources.
 Go Get That Bridge,
 Concluding, we must admit the bridge is a notable example of con- struction. the site naturally adapts it. self to a highway layout. President Mellen is protecting his trolley condi- tionS and saving thousands of dollars in making this s1.500, 900 gift and the state, city and travelling public are procuring much desired feature of structure, long since demanded
 Oh! Ye Business Men or Chamber of Commerce of New London!
 Plead to your state legislature and, to touch a slang expression, "Go Get That Bridge"
 Make it. if needs be. d toll bridge for self maintenance. but Go Get That Bridge
 t.tA F.~ .~t