Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-16
Mayor Suggests Take Snow
From G. & r Bridge.
Editor Kennebec journal.

90" AZ youT report OF the Monday
evening OF the city government. that
the mayor suggested to Alderman
Russ that the snow be removed from
tie Gardiner and Randolph bridge. and
that Alderman Russ promised to do it.
nave acted as one of the bridge com
mlttee for the past 10 years and this
Is the first instance where | ever saw
any mayor and his street commission
er assume the entire MANAGEMENT of
the bridge.
IN the Years of 1886 and 1887 when
the bridge was purchased by the city
ana town II was mutually agreed by
the city fathers and the selectmen of
Randolph that the bridge should be
managed wholly outside Of the mayor
ard alderman Of the city and the Sc
lectmen of Randolph. Since that time
the City Government, annually APP
pointed the assessors of the city, and
the town of Randolph at their annual
meeting elected their committee con-
sisting of two members
This committee of five have an
Inually hell their meeting in March or
April, electlng a president, secretary,
and sub OF special committee of two
whose business itEhas been to exer-
else a gene. al care and supervision of
all necessary minor repairs, make any
purchases required, and have daily
oversight Of the structure. AT any
time the two could not agree, or their
troubles were extensive or numerous,
then the full committee was called to-
Scther by the president. | have served
on this special committee with John
Cunningham five years in succession.
! We annually went over the structure
together from bottom of the Howe
truSseS tn the ridge pole. always
agreed on matters Of repairs, and
rover an unkind word, and the mayor
never interfered.
The Hon. NJ. a. Haraden and myself
constituted that committee for seven
years i'll succession and no mayor or
alderman even shouldered any part of
the responsibility.
Albert Smith was for two years a
lnember of this committee. After the
city adopted the commission govern
Iment, the mayor and two aldermen
have acted as the committee and mayor
Lamb never assumed any supreme au-
thoriN. The present alderman of
streets has acted in that capacity for
the past two years. In your paper some
weeks age the Augusta items stated
that the excessive weight of snow was
being removed from the Augusta
bridge. Several persons not familiar
with the different construction of the
two bridges 1T once decided it was nee
esSary to SO 10 the same expense here.
and the mention was in your paper.
The two bridges are about as much
alike as 4 trotting sulky and one of
Gilson's auto ttuclns,. At the time the
contracts We're let 70: the steel COM
struction of this bridge the specifica-
tons We're referred by he committee
! to Mr. Glppy. then NJ. {. T. r. engi
Hecr. as to the .seftficient strength of
the cords and the floor system to sus-
tain any, weight that it might be called
upon to sustain, including electric cars.
He suggested some increase in the sus
tanning strength of the cords and also
the floor system and he then stated
that it would sustain any weight that
it might ever be called upon to bear,
which suggestions were adopted
| Il is my opinion that the snow which
the mayor has expended $25 or $50 to
remove, figured in weigh per square
foot Of floor surface, would be about as
la feather on hens back. Further
mere, it VIII not require three days Of
warm sun before the people Of the city
and town will be paying S. w. Talbot
for showing this exact spot. If the
mayor had suggested that the snow be
removed from the roof of each covered
end, where the rafters are now buckling
with the heavy weight, l would just go
him one. | am fully aware that my
Judgment i'll a dentists office would be
rather poor, but think that after hay
ing had an experience on this bridge
committee for the past 10 years. that
it possibly rates favorably with that
Of the present mayor on any bridge
matters The town of Randolph pays
% per cent. OF all yearly expenses OF
this bridge ana it expects now as in
the past to have a voice in all matters
and proceedings, and it will very Sc
riously object To any matter of labor
and expense being handled by. or
through, the highway department of
the city Of Gardiner.
tSigneID c. f. CLARKE,
Randolph.