COUNTY COUNCIL WIND UP SESSION

Road and Bridge Committee Brings in Report

[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 15 June 1926]

County Council wound up its June Session Friday when, previous to the sitting of the Equalization Committee, several reports were presented. Among these was that of the Road and Bridge Committee as follows:

On June 5^th, we your road and bridge committee with the Warden and County Clerk and Mr. Scott, an engineer, inspected the site of the proposed bridge across the Welland River at the town line between the Townships of Pelham and Thorold.

We found the river at this point to be 210 ft. wide with a depth of 14 ft. in the centre.

The approaches to this bridge would require a considerable amount of filling in. We were assured, however, by some of the residents near, that this would be done on the north side by them free of cost to the County.

The approaches on the south side will be a more difficult undertaking as at this place the highway is much higher than the old approach and the necessary earth is not easily available.

Should one of the canal bridges be purchased as was suggested by the delegation, we believe the Welland South bridge would be the proper one, if location is considered. We measured this bridge and found it to be 247 ft. in length and 16 ft. in width. This would be a longer bridge than necessary, but it could be purchased at a moderate price. The extra length would be immaterial owing to the construction of this bridge; it would be necessary to have an abutment in the centre as well as at each end.

We also interviewed H. and G. Horton as to the cost of moving this bridge and placing it on the new abutment. His estimate of the cost of this work was $8,000.00 if the bridge was delivered on the canal bank by the Department.

We asked Mr. Scott to give a preliminary estimate on the cost of necessary abutments, also number of yards of earth fill necessary for south side. His letter attached hereto will give this information.

Up to the present time we have been unable to get any information as to what the department might ask, for this bridge or when it is available.

The Standard Steel Construction Co. offer to construct us a bridge of three spans, 62, 70 and 80 ft. at a price of $14,000.00, or two 90 ft. spans at a price of $18,000.00. These bridges would be without floors. The cost of flooring said bridges being extra.

The report was adopted without dispute.

The Road and Bridge Committee also presented the following report.

On May 28^th we met at the White Pigeon bridge. We found this bridge old, but still serviceable for ordinary traffic. We found that a few plank were needed, also we think the approaches should be covered with stone if available from the county. We arranged with Frank Heximer to have this work done.

We next visited the Black Creek town line bridge. We found this bridge in need of more extensive repairs. We agreed that two new courses of stringers should be placed on this bridge. Also a few new plank and two courses of three-inch plank, 24 inches wide, full length of bridge, traffic width, also the west approach filled in and widened on the north side. This work was left in charge of Wm. Miller. The railings along the approaches of this bridge are quite old and will need to be renewed in a year or two.

The Sauer bridge on the Humberstone road and Crowland town lines: We found this bridge a good concrete arch and in first class condition. We recommend that 1 inch stone should be placed on the approaches and over the top of this bridge. Also that the east approach on the north side be widened. Mr. Koebel was left in charge of this work.

O’Reilly’s bridge: We found this bridge needed several new plank, also some gravel on the approaches. We arranged with Mr. Cosby to do this work.

On Tuesday June 1^st we met the Lincoln county committee at DeCew Falls. We found this bridge in good condition but with an old wooden railing guarding the approaches on one side, while a substantial iron railing protected the other side. Melvin Honsberger, Jordan Station, agreed to have this work done.

The Red bridge: We found this concrete bridge with the approaches very much improved by the work done on them last year. No work was considered necessary at this bridge.

Robins’ bridge: We found this in good condition. The south approaches needed some filling in. Mr. Harlem Strong agreed to have this work done. The abutments of this bridge are concrete, built on piling capped with timber and planked over the top. The lower water levels are leaving the wood work exposed above the water level. If there is any way to remedy this we believe it should be done. In a few years the wood work will be decayed and the abutments ruined.

Cheese Factory bridge: This is an old wooden bridge but we believe serviceable for some time. No work was ordered done here.

Laidlaw bridge: We found the approaches and railing of this bridge in good condition but the bridge in need of cleaning and painting. Mr. Copeland agreed to get prices on this work and report to our committee if he considered the price a reasonable one.