Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-21


struetien and the expense. Also. that
it meant in time. a new bridge.
Asked by Comm issioner Shelton IL
he thought the restriction of trafhc
when loaded freight cars were pass
ing, he said he did and on the ques-
ton by City Solicitor Sawtelle If
that would cause a tremendous con-
gestion of travel at the ends of the l
bridge. ne thought the latter was the
less of the two evils.
Asked if. without the street car
traffic the bridge would suffice for
the regular travel, Mr.. Black replied:
Yes, for the present"
And it was noticeable that he en- !
phasized the reply and making no
statement or promise for the future.
with it's ever increasing business and
traffic.
Regarding stopping the trotting Of
horses across the bridge. he asserted /
that such Il practice was more inju
furious to a bridge than people real
lied, as it meant succession of light |.
! blows, infiicting its damage where it
was difficult to detect, whereas, 4
heavy blows effect was more easily |
seen. He insisted that the wires
should be removed, as their wind re-
F; sistanee was tremendous and the
bridge was not meant TO carry any.
/ He thought that not more than five
| inches Of trodden or packed snow
! should be allowed on the bridge, just
enough to facilitate travel,
| Mr.. Black was convinced that the
| freight cars should be restricted and
| no traffic should be allowed when
one was on the bridge. He Vent
| over the weights Of motors and cars
| that should be allowed on the bridge.
| limiting the extreme weight to so
| tons for a loaded car, one at time,
| with motor car not exceeding Il
| tons, and the speed should never ex-
| coed eight miles an hour.
| General Manager Sweeney Of the
! L., A. & w. Railway stated that the
! company would under no crcum
stances continue to operate over
| bridge where any element Of danger
/ in SO doing existed. He said the
! roads bridge expert had been over
| with Mr. Black his figures and rec
| concentrations and the railroad had
! absolutely no fault to find with them
/
| could he arranged for little differ
/ ent equalization of the weights be-
! tween the motor cars and the freight
! cars that would be a great conven-
! fence 10 hi. company Mr.. Black
| thought that might be done, and sug-
| gested that a load of perhaps 80 tons
| might be carried without interrupt
| ing traffic.
Answering Mr.. Sawtelle, Mr.. Black
said the only feasible way to ham
! die the wires was by cable, but Mr.
! Sweeney said the Central Maine
/ Power Co would Immediately object,
| owing to the liability Of danger to
cables from lightning. 1t was then
| suggested that they be suspended
from the piers. with perhaps a guy
or supporting wire from, the middle
| Of each bridge span. The wire dan
ger on the bridge IS from the wind
strain and not the wire weight.
Answering Mr.. Varney as to
strengthening the bridge by new md
! heavier latticing, Mr.. Black said ad
| ditional weight would have to be con-
sidered and he didn't consider the
| change worth the expense. in the
bridges condition. His opinion was
that the bridge is now loaded to is
| capacity.
Asked by Mayor Swift as to the CT
feet of the wind shields used in the
! winter. Mr.. Black said he had con-
sidered them when making his fig
| ures, and that he thought the wind
! pressure on the cars without the
| shields on the bridge would be
! greater than on the shields
Chairman Cleaves stated that as
the commission understood the stat
us of the case, the hearing would
i again be suspended to enable Engi-
neer Black to go over the suggestion
! Of Manager Sweeney regarding the
distribution of the weight Of the
freight loads, the trailers and mo-
tor cars, the weight of loaded freight
cars during traffic and the manner of
the crossing Of the bridge by the
wires. Report on these matters
I would be made to the commission
! and would be furnished all parties
concerned.
t 1t is understood that the New
England Telephone Co. pays SIS a
year for the privilege Of its wires
crossing the present bridge, but May
/ or Swift was not then informed as
i to the terms under which the Cen
trail Maine Power Cos wires cross
I! ed.