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and wider bridge should be built to take the place of this old Structure. The drawtenders employed sweep the sidewalks and keep them free from snow and ice in winter time, and do all ordinary repairs. ESSEX—STREET BRIDGE.

Almost the entire surface of the roadway was sheathed, and four-inch spruce plank put in where necessary. The draw and sidewalk were repaired.

The fences for the entire length of the bridge, and the houses on the draw-pier have been painted. This work was done by the drawtenders. They also sweep the bridge once a week in summer and keep the sidewalks free from snow and ice in winter, and do other ordinary repairs.

A petition has been sent to the City Council by citizens living in the vicinity of this bridge asking that permission be granted the Boston Elevated Railway Company to put two tracks over the bridge to connect with the tracks on Commonwealth avenue in Boston, and no doubt it would be a great convenience to the public. To make the bridge safe for that purpose would require a large Outlay, and whether it would be advisable at the present time to do this work or wait till the two cities are in condition to build an overhead bridge, wider than the present structure, is a question. It seems to me the time will soon come when the new overhead bridge will have to be built. The repairs necessary to make the present bridge safe for the cars to go over would cost in the vicinity of $17,000, and after making the repairs the bridge would be narrow, and not suitable for the traffic going Over it.

HARVARD BRIDGE.

At the date of the last year's report the paving of the roadway with wooden blocks had not been completed on account of the stormy weather and the lateness of the season, which made it necessary to wait till this year before completing the work. This spring the work was finished, and the pavement has proved to be a great improvement over the old plank surface. It is even, and the yearly renewal and constant patching of the surface is avoided.

The deck of the draw should be reconstructed, as it is getting out of shape.

The sidewalks for the entire length of the bridge should be replaced with hard-pine plank. The present asphalt sidewalk is in very bad condition, it is badly broken and the planking under it is decayed. It was patched last year to make it safe. The surface of the draw-pier is in poor condition, and ought to be replanked at once. We have repaired the capping this year and made some repairs to piers to make them safe. The drawtenders’ house was painted outside and inside with two coats of paint, the work being done by the drawtenders. The men have also made quite a lot of other repairs. The iron fence should be painted this next near. The incandescent lights are satisfactery, and the effect of the illumination at night is far better than that of any of the bridges in the vicinity of Boston and Cambridge. The drawtenders clean the electric light globes, see to keeping the sidewalks free from snow and ice in winter, and do all ordinary repairs. The traffic over the bridge is increasing every year. The expenditures by the City of Boston on account of wood block paving, etc., were as follows:

United States Wood Preserving Company, wood block paving to e . $25,550 67

Geo. McQuesten & Co., lumber te & to 1,011 64 A. A. Libbey & Co., labor . e to © 471 ()8 $26,933 39

On account of the paving and repairs to its track location the Boston Elevated Railway Company paid to the City of Boston the sum of $3,131.26.

NORTH HARVARD BRIDGE.

The fence on the draw was repaired by putting on new rails; the bridge and draw were sheathed with two-inch spruce plank, and other repairs made.

The fences for the entire length, the draw, draw-posts, and the houses on the piers were painted. This work was done by the drawtenders. They also do all ordinary repairs, sweeping bridge and draw, and cleaning snow and ice from bridge and piers.

PRISON POINT BRIDGE.

The iron girders under the draw were in bad condition, broken and twisted in such a way that it was impossible to repair them, and to put in new ones would have cost a large sum of money. It was not thought wise to expend much for repairs at the present time, as it is soon to be replaced.

To relieve the draw and to limit the weight going over it, the roadway was narrowed by building sidewalks two feet six inches wide. If this had not been done we should have had to close the bridge to travel.

Some of the timbers under the bridge supporting the roadway were so much decayed at the ends they had to be pieced out with new hard-pine timber, and other timbers had to be blocked up. Iron rods were put through the girders to keep them in place. This work was done from float staging under the bridge. Four-inch plank were put on the bridge and draw, and all sheathed with two-inch spruce plank.

The Boston & Maine Railroad Company are now driving piles to support a temporary bridge across the river and will build a draw to take the place of the old one. After crossing the river they will build a temporary overhead street to Bridge street in Cambridge. The railroad company are doing this so as not to stop travel while building the permanent overhead structure on the line of the present street leading from Cambridge to Charlestown, which, when completed, will be a great benefit to the public and do away with a most dangerous place, and prevent the present great delay while the street is closed by trains passing over it.

In addition to the repairs mentioned above there has been a number of other repairs made to make the bridge and draw safe for travel.

The drawtenders sweep the bridge and clean off snow and ice. o

WESTERN-AVENUE BRIDGE.

On the Boston side, the deck of the bridge and draw was repaired with four-inch spruce plank and sheathed with twoinch spruce plank; new flaps to draw were built, and the fence On the draw was repaired by putting in new rails.. The capping and surface of the down-stream pier was so much decayed that it was deemed best to put in new timber and plank to protect it and make it secure.

The fences, the draw-posts and the houses on the pier were painted. This work was done by the drawtenders.

The drawtenders also do the cleaning and ordinary repair work.

WEST BOSTON TEMPORARY BRIDGE. The traffic on this bridge is increasing, making it neces

Sasy to replank it every year. The flaps of the draw were repaired and new hinges placed on them.

The drawtenders sweep the sidewalk in summer and keep it free from snow and ice in winter, and do all ordinary repairs.

The new Cambridge bridge will be completed in about three years. When completed it will be the finest structure in the United States. e

IN GENERAL.

The usual statement is appended showing the number of draw openings, and the number of vessels which passed through.

The amount of revenue for rents, dockage, etc., during the year has been $805, one-half of which has been paid to each city.

The following is a statement of the payments made by the City of Boston on account of the Boston and Cambridge bridges from February 1, 1902, to January 31, 1903:

Appropriation for financial year 1902–03 . $18,000 00

Expended to January 31, 1903 . * g 16,400 04 Unexpended balance, February 1, 1903 o $1,599 96

Revenue, February 1, 1902, to January 31, 1903.

a .. ‘. . 3 & § 5 35 co ~ PL.B. 5 3ā $: g ... O F-t gDATE. pageS. Items. Totals. : 3 ### * > go Q lo e go O 5° 5: 1902. February 24.... 250 Boston Elevated Railway Co., , rent cable-house location.... $200 00 $100 00 $100 00 April 10... . . . . . 259 || Rent of buildings and fences, and sale of old boiler, Craigie’s bridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 00 80 00 80 00. August 4. . . . . . . 303 | Rents and wharfage, Craigie’s bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 00 I52 50 152 50 November 18. . . 340 | Rent of building and fence, Craigie’s bridge... . . . . . . . . . . . 140 00 70 00 70 00 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $805 ()0 || $402 50 || $402 50

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