Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-11

ed by bridges at Telegraph Point
and Richmond than by one bridge
across the harbor at Bath. as thov
would have opened up to them sew
eral arteries of travel in the place
OF one.
Discussing the effect of each site
On the Maine Central Railroad. Mr..
Mclean said the Richmond location
would mean a net saving in road
maintenance Of four miles. The dis
tace from brunswick to Bath would
increase o.3l miles but there would
be a saving of at least 20 miles on
all traffic going through Wiscassett
rem the East. Referring to DR..
Waddells recognition of the financial
condltlon or the railroad, Mr.. Nc
Lean sald: IF the railroad leases a
right OF passage from the State over
bridge at Bath predict that inside
OF ten years, no matter what the
rental charge, it will be before the
Legislature asking for relief, and
many or the people who are now
urging that YOU put in 1000, 600 to
serve railroad and a local commu-
nifty will be before the LEGISLATURE
asking for reduction of this rental
to save to their communities the
railroad. The rental TO be paid by
the railroad at the Richmond cross
ing would not be more than one
third OF that required at Bath.
DIR. Waddell says in his report
| referring to the difference in esti-
mates between the middle and lower
crossings, to show the uncertainty Of
bed rock; The difference of some
100000 in my estimates is not as
certain as it would be were borings
TO bedrock made at both crossings
This shows that even in Or. Wad-
dells mind the conditions as to the
bed of the river are the p,rest
guess. He says that If may elimi-
, nate n difference Of 100000 but why
| is it not equally sensible to guess
! that it may add 5000.
| we venture that no competent
! engineer will be found who will rec
omlnend the construction Of a bridge
across river bottom more than
200 feet wide and in places going to
depth of at least 11f feet below
low water mark where only four
washing borings reaching bedrock
have been made (and not a single
core boring of the rock) and not one
! OF these borings upon the location of
| any suggested Sites
Mr.. Mclean said that both bridge
acts now before the Legislature pro-
vide for toll bridges but that the
| statement that tolls would pay for
the bridge is economic nonsense. He
/ urged that the first cost of the bridge
was a subject to be considered care
! fully in choosing a site. 1T is fair to
assume he said, that the estimate
! OF $3,OOO,0O for combination bridge
across the Bath harbor is far too
small. Conditions may be found
which will
! One must be a pronounced optimist
to figure out how a s3,000,000 bridge
| can ever be paid for from tolls Fig
ures on the present traffic would
| show IA deficit"
In urging the Richmond site furth-
er, Mr.. Mclean said that the main
tenance cost there would be small:
that 1t would not increase road mile
age from Portland to Rockland more
/ than nine miles, and would decrease
other routes more than that; that
definite figures showed big saving
! in first cost; that there would be no
| effect on shipping by bridge at
Richmond and that the Richmond
bridge is State project.
| Excessive expenditure in one pro-
)ect means abandonment of other
worthy projects" declared ATTORNEY
Mclean. The 100000 saved by
building combination bridge at
Richmond over that of Bath would
build: lst-Fifty miles of cement
ROAD tklttery to Portland) End
seventy miles of tar macadam: 3rd-
one hundred and fifty miles of gray
Ell road
THE Richmond bridge is a State
project. There has been no attempt
TO keep it in local hands by creation
, or any local board of directors to
manage or control it's affairs. Its
proponents have demonstrated their
sincerity in its being State bridge
by advocating before the last Legis-
lature and the present one that the
relative merits of bridge sites be de-
terinlned by an impartial commit
tee. Absolute sincerity and convic-
ton always welcomes Investigation.
Inc proponents of the Richmond
proposition have asked this with
refernce to their site and have shown
their good faith by the limitation
placed upon the cost in their cat"
Plans of Bridge Explained
Frederic II. Fay of Fay, Spofford &
Thorndike, Boston bridge engineers.
explained the plans of the bridge
which he had made for the Richmond
chamber of Commerce. He said that
his borings showed less than so feet
from the low water line to bed rock
His plans We're for combination
highway and railroad bridge on the
same deck, with the highway bridge
location alone at a crossing somewhat
shorter. The draw span in both cases
was 100 feet wide and the draw one
that was acceptable to the Eastern
steamship Lines and to the United
States district engineer. His eSti-
mates We're S1,060,000 for the combi-
nation railway and highway bridge
and $526,000 for a highway bridge
alone.
DO YOU know the reputation of DR..
Waddell as an engineer?' asked Chair
man Smith. referring to the engineer
who had drawn plans of the highway
and railroad bridges at Bath.
1T is very high" replied Mr..
Fay.
Would you question any estimates
Would YOU question any esti-
mates that he might make?" con-
tinued Chairman Smith.
Il should have to know the
sources of his information, was the
reply.
IF he obtained it himself" fur
Their pressed Chairman Smith.
Il should want to know what he
guaranteed his figures" was The re-
ply.
Have You made any estimates as
to the cost of a bridge across the
Eastern river. Mr.. Fay?" inquired
Senator Carleton.
Engineer Fay replied that he had
made no estimates of the cost of a
connection railroad line from Dres-
den to Wiscasset.
Questioned by Attorney Mclean,
.uG[o- From pains