The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-16

bridge building" Mr.. Burns said 1T is
wonderful that nobody was killed. and
such thing never could happen again
without loss of life
At the time Of the accident the travel
inb crane was mot IN operation. Mr.
Burns declared in contradiction of a re
port that the crane was hosting one OF
the heavy top cords and had swung it out
so far that the weight tipped the travel
ing crane over against the upright steel
posts which We're held together only by
few bolts. awaiting final riveting.
Mr.. Burns said that about two-thirds
of the material was in place, the other
one-third being in the railroad yard. The
extreme length of the bridge was $50
feet. and when complete the structure
was to weight about 325 tons. 1t is doubt
full if much of the steel now in the river
can be used.
Mr.. Burns said he would get in touch
with the head office of the American
Bridge Co at Philadelphia at once, and he
expected that the work of removing the
wreck would be begun without delay. He
thought it would be possible to get such
new pieces as are necessary and have the
bridge completed this year.
The work of putting up the sides OF the
bridge was begun Tuesday afternoon of
this week. on the completion of the false
work and the laying of the supporting
Stringers, and good progress had been
made, the middle section and one section
on either side of the middle having been
put up and some of the top connecting
cords having been put in place. 1t was
expected that the bridge would be ready
for travel before the end of July.
Today's loss is the third that has oc-
CURED at the bridge site beginning March
-. 1920. On that date the steel bridge
which this one was to replace was carried
away with the loss of one life. that of
Cornelius Flanagan. who lived on the
island. That bridge is now on the bottom
of the river about 300 feet down stream.
The Fred Il. Ley Construction Co. of
Springfield. Mass, built a temporary pile
bridge in the summer of last year the
Job Deing under the direction of Robert
CoOmbS of Brattleboro. Meanwhile the
contract for q new bridge had been
awarded By the towns of Brattleboro and
Hinsdale y. H, to the United Construc-
tion co. of Albany, y. Y. for new metal
steel bridge to be completed by March /.
The temporary bridge was carried out by
freShet Dec. 10. and the work of erecting
the new steel bridge was begun few
weeks ago by the sub-contractors, the
American Bridge Co, the bridge being
fabricated at the cOmpany's plant in Ell
mira, y. Y.
The contract price of the new bridge
was around $4,000, Brattleboro's share
quarter Under the contract the towns
were to pay 20 per cent of the contract
price when all of the steel arrived on the
ground. The company, a few days ago,
made a demand on the selectmen for the
payment of 30 per cent and Engineer
John w. Storrs of Concord. y. H., who
is employed by the town. came here and
checked up the steel and certified to the
lseiectmen that all the steel was here Town
Treasurer Fred G. Adams had been un-
able to sell the bonds as advantageously
as was desired and so other arrangements
had been made for securing the money by
loan. and it was the intention to pay over
the 40 per cent today, hut for the present
| it will not be paid. Brattleboro's share
of the 40 per cent is S33. 500, after deduct
ing a certain amount which was to be al
lowed the towns by the contractors by
reason of the fact that the towns were to
| put in the bridge flooring.
Engineer Storrs has been notified of the
laccident and he has notified the select
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