Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-28

morning it was voted that action on the war departments order to eon- struct new bridge over the Mantle river be indefinitely postponed. How- ever a committee comprising the three | county senators was appointed to go f before the next general assembly and Ii urge the passage of a bill for the erection of a bridge, the expense to be | sustained by the state.
 At 11:20 o'clock the meeting was | called to order by Senator l.. E. | Whiting of New London, the clerk.
 Representative William B. Mitchell | of Preston called the roll which show | ed the following in attendance:
 Senator L. E. Whiton, New London; | Senator J. H. Barnes, Norwich; Sem 1 ator B. H. Hewitt, Mystic; Represent l aftves Nelson L.. Stark, Bozrah, Dan- 1 iel W. Williams, Colchester, Curtis P. l Brown. Colchester, Marion R. Davis, | East Lyme; c. Huntington Ladhrop, Franklin; Charles T. Crandasll. Grotcn; Frederick N. Taylor, Lebanon; James son Lisbon; Charles W. I'ierson, Lyme; Matt A. Tinker, MontviIle; Frank o. Cronin, New London. Lyle c. Gray, Stonington; Albert J. Bailey, Norwich; Joseph H. Henderson. Norwich; Jo- seph s. Huntington, Old Lyme; Eek ford J. Pendleton, Preston; William B. Mitchell, Preston; renee L. Buteau, Srrague; Elias F. Wilcox, Stonington; stephen B. Sweet, Voluntown.
 In addition to the members of the ney, John c. Geary, Alderman c. C. Perkins, representing Mayor Ernest E. Rogers of New London, and Theo- dore Bodenwein, City Surveyor Cram dall of New London, Engineer s. s.
 Yates of New York, who has been in the employ Of the County Commission CTS preparing plans for the new bridge, Turner c. Haines of Mantle and County Commissioners Smith, Lamphere and Brown.
 The order of the war department directing the county to erect a new bridge across the Niantic river be- 1 cause the present structure is an ob- l struction to navigation, of insufficient
 height and width and in an improper location, was read by the clerk, Rep-
 resentative William B. Mitchell The
 order provides for a draw of 45 feet
 wide and a clearance of six feet at l high water, Dec. 31, 1917, is given as the limit of time in which to com plete the project.
 It was stated by County Comnis-
 sioner Smith that the commissioners l had gone as far as possible in Com plying with the order. They had em- ployed an engineer and the latter was present to present plans. s. s. Yates of New York was introduced as the engineer.
 1 Engineer Yates explained the loca- ton of the present bridge. His plan for new bridge contemplates running the structure from the foot of Durfy hill diagonally across the water of Mantle bay to a point on the high way beyond the BeckWith coal sheds. Most of the new bridge would be com+ posed of filling as the water is shall low. The draw would be on the north side or New London end where there 1 is channel. He said the old bridge
 could not profitably be utilized to
 make 45-foot draw as ordered by the war department.
 It would be possible to use the old location but a new bridge would have
 to be constructed with two new abut- ments of stone. This would cost ESQ.,
 o00. The water aI the present location
 was very deep due to a narrow chan | nel and strong current which secured
 it out. He did not think it advisable
 to build a bridge at the present loca-
 tion as the foundation was likely to
 be undermined. The open water there
 was ITO feet To accommodate a Az
 foot draw, two stone piers would have
 to be built. He estimated the cost of a
 new bridge as proposed by the plans
 at the upper location to be from SSO. .
 900 to $85,000 and only one-quarter
 acre of land would have to be pur-
 chased. To build a bridge at the old
 location with six feet clearance over
 the water would mean the raising of
 the grade each side of at least four
 feet, damaging the Le Count property
 on one end and the Beckwith property T on the other. The proposed new bridge
 at the upper location was $50 feet in !. length of which 300 was fill and 25O
 open water. His estimate of the cost
 or building the upper bridge Included
 would have to be erected at depth
 of over 80 feet, at the new, piers could
 be laid upon piling
 The average number of times the
 draw has been opened is 2,000, this being mostly for fishing snaacks and power boats. At high Water the pres
 ent bridge has but two feet clear ance. The proposed new bridge has a sidewalk four feet wide for pedestrians It would greatly improve the highway
 by straightening it out. The chief
 value of the new location is that there would be no securing out of the channel by the current. There would be no cost of maintenance ex- cept the expense of keeping a draw tender. Most of this information was
 brought out by questions from the ] representatives and the chairman. The draw tender, Turner c. Haynes said that on Monday 373 vehicles had passed over the bridge up to o'clock
 and from that hour to 7.30, 457. This ] was exceptionaf or account of the Ni- antic camp activity. He had opened the draw IS times. Monday. His rec } ord was 32 times. The average was OOIle CttIS ? when ne kSDb an accurate record Of the number of , times opened per year it ran from l. geo to R,200. Probably 1000 vehicles : passed over the bridge in year. The : use of vehicles occasioned by the
 opening of the Nianttc camp ground ] would soon shake the bridge all tc ; pieces On account of the heavy trucks l going over 1t. The bridge had beer 1 built to held lp ten tons and it wal x now acquired 10 carry II.
 l # was stated by County Eommis. ] sioner Smith that Major Pilishury hat gl refused to extend the lime of building . a new bridge beyond December, igt7 so that there would not be time to piI the matter np to the legtsiatura. n, ] government ofnctal had said # th. { bridge was not built within the tifnl 5 ordered the old bridge would be torl e down.
 It was the opinion of Representativ, f Henderson fllnt tnasrnuch as fife gov. s er4n1ent had ordered the 4ri5ge to pl : 61aK # T2s q state raii1er than
 4t was pointed out hx Ehairnaa1
 WAiton that the state pge pf th
 bridge would give the county som claim for assistance tu 1uf1ainE fh 2 bridge from She state.
 Senator Hewitt thought a resolution