Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-29

a new bridge must be built over Linn
Creek on South Third avenue. that the
extension of the street car system 10
the south side is dependent upon the
erection OF a new bridge, and that
plans for a butterfly span were drawn
before the present city council came
into being, no move has been made 10
erect bridge this season. Lack or
funds to build a bridge as planned Is
the only reason given by members OF
the council for the failure TO start the
work.
\ Instead the city has gone to the ex-
Il pense and labor of putting temporary
| supports under the old structure TO
prevent 1t from topping into the creek.
4 Piling was sunk three feet into the
1 Linn creek bottom late last week and
supports erected which, it is said will
relieve the strain on the span and may
keep il from falling for some time 10
/ come This work, il is said was done
| without the knowledge of the city
Il council, being undertaken by FREQ
i DERRICK. superintendent OF streets.
Bridge Declared Dangerous.
The city council has been warned by
Il City Engineer Herm that the bridge
is dangerous. In fact that Official has
warned manufacturers on the south
side to use only the west side Of the
bridge in crossing the creek and to
divert extra heavy lads to other
streets because of the danger of the
bridge collapsing.
It is said the city council has not
concurred in the opinion Of the engin-
eer that the bridge was unsafe The
engineer, however, has taken the po-
sition that as long as the council
knows it must build bridge over Linn
creek it should build at once and elm
mate the danger of a mishap. He con-
tends that It is better to build now
than to risk damage suits which the
city might face should the bridge coll
lapse and cause death or injury to
truck drivers, Automobiles or peoes-
TRANS.
Street Should Be Closed.
In the opinion of some residents OF
the south side the street should be
closed to traffic until the council can
find a way to provide new bridge.
The temporary supports placed I'M
der the bridge last week have to
4 large extent removed the vibration put
this relief is believed to be but temper
ary. The bridge was not made to carry
the heavy cement floor which was laid
/ few years ago and the weight Is SAID
to be too great for the supports.
III An examination Of the bridge was
made Monday to determine the facts.
It was found that the lattice work
under and above the floor of the bridge
is buckling and that the structural
work near the base was so rotted that
blow from a hammer would pene-
trate the iron. Much of the real dan
ger Is not visible as the rotten struct-
ural work is covered by the concrete
doorway. Last fall braces were placed
at the weak points but it Is found that
bolts here as well as in the upper
structure have been sheered almost In
two. City employees express the BELIEF
that had a level been used, prior to the
erection Of the temporary supports, 1t
| would have been found that the bridge
was settling slowly.
! Heavy Traffic Over Bridge.
III The traffic over this Linn creek
/. bridge has for years been heavy. Dray-
ing of the south side manufacturing
plants has been largely over the
structure, a great majority Of alarms
responded to by the south side fire
| truck takes the crew over the bridge
and considerable automobile travel is
ii by this route.
II In view of the condition Of the
bridge, especially with the city engin-
eer warning against continuance OF
traffic over the structure, it would
seem that the logical thing for the
| council to do would be to provide
II means at once to erect a new span to
| protect traffic.
II Bridge Fund S21,14683.
| The bridge fund of the city, on June
| 30, amounted to $21,146.83, an amount
II insufficient to erect a bridge such as
must be built over Linn creek to carry
the Railway and Light Company cars
The franchise of the company calls fol-
|. the erection of a bridge sufficiently
= heavy to carry interurban cars, the
bridge to be constructed before the
\ street car extension to the south side
is made.
Members OF the council said TO-DAY
that no definite figures had been re-
cieved on the cost Of a bridge such as
had been contemplated. 1t was said
however, that the bridge considered by
the old council was estimated to cost
about 1000 to $4,000.
The delay in erecting the bridge, &C.
cording to the council. has been due tt
the great cost of a heavy bridge asked
for by the iowa Railway & Light Com
pany, and the insufficient means ir
the bridge fund to meet this outlay
The council did not state, however
when it was expected the city would
be in a position to build. Erection O
the bridge Is not dependent on TIL
=: nr!cge runc solely, for the city ma,