CORDELIA STREET BRIDGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 22, 24 January 1913, Page 2

CORDELIA STREET BRIDGE.

HUNG UP FOR ESTIMATES. Members of the Borough Council discussed this old friend at length last night. The matter was revived on the presentation of a petition praying that a traffic bridge be put over the Patoa River at Cordelia Street, where in it was suggested that a sum be placed on the estimates for a new bridge, or that, in the event of the loan proposals being carried, the present bridge at Broadway ho utilised for a bridge at Cordelia Street. This matter, it was stated, had been before the Council before, lyid also before previous Councils, as also had a request for a bridge at Brecon Road. During the discussion that followed the opening up of the subject, the cost of putting up the Broadway Bridge would be about £2OOO. The new bridge would cost £4OOO, and the Cordelia and Brecon Road bridges about £4OO each. According to Cr. Morison, a similar structure to that which Ivas asked for was the Swansea Bridge, which cost about £450.

Cr. Healy asked, in the event of the loan being carried for Broadway Bridge, what was going to be done with the material there.

“Boil it down!” was the ejaculation of one Councillor. The Mayor: I take it that we will have to make some use of it, and it would bo putting the material to good use to put it where the bridge was be ing asked for.

Cr. Healy asked if the loan was carried, would there be sufficient money ?

No definite reply was forthcoming from Councillors, and Cr. Thompson moved that the application for a traffic bridge at Cordelia Street he held over, and that an estimate of the cost l)e procured. Ho would like to know, in the event of a new bridge being built, what would he. the cost of the timber required, and how the Council could use the residue or the “scrapiron.”

The Mayor said he hoped the motion would not be carried, for the reason that the matter would be deferred, and the question of where the bridge was to be shifted to, as_two applications for a bridge were before the Council would have to he decided.

Cr. King seconded the motion pro forma. He said it was the only solution of the difficulty, but it would mean another meeting to find out what the work would cost. If the loan was carried, the Council would have to have some place to put the old bridge. “But it doesn’t make any difference to me where it goes,” said Cr. King. Continuing, he said there was no doubt something owing from the southern portion of the town to the north. . Cr. Ward said it would clear the air if a motion was put that a bridge was necessary at Cordelia, vStreet.

•"Cr. Healy said the petitioners were evidently relying upon the loan being carried.

Cr. Mori son moved as an amendment that the Council affirm the principle or the necessity of a bridge at Cordelia Street, and that an estimate be procured of the cost of the bridge or an alternative i estimate of the cost of removal, such a,sum to be placed in the schedule of the loan proposals. They need not have another meeting. > Further discussion drew from Cr. Healy the remark that it had taken four years to arrive at the present position, and it looked as if they were going to hang it up again. Cr. Ward moved that in the opinion of the Council a traffic bridge at Cordelia Street was necessary. i Seconded by Cr. Morison. The Mayor said if the poll was carried it would not hang up the question of whether the bridge was erected, but if it was not carried, personally ho would be entirely opposed to the bridge in Cordelia Street. The amendment on being put was lost. Cr. Healy then moved that the sum of £ISOO be put on the estimates to provide a bridge in Cordelia Street, provided the loan was carried for the Broadway Bridge.—Seconded by Cr. Lawson. The opinion was generally expressed that £ISOO would not be a sufficient sum for the purpose, and Cr. Healy agreed to make it £2OOO. Cr. Dingle referred to the application to have a traffic bridge on the Brecon Road, and said that the work at Cordelia Street would benefit only the children. Already there was a bridge at Swansea Street, and they were going to widen the Broadway Bridge. The distance was not very far to go round, and he considered the traffic was well served. They talked of spending £2OOO, but they had to remember the state of the Council’s finances. A bridge at Brecon Road would 1)0 a great convenience to the people, and it would not cost more than £4OO. it would 1)0 better to have foot bridges at Brecon Road and Cordelia Street, and these would meet the requirements of the people for the whole of the Borough. Ho could not see for the life of him how the funds would warrant traffic bridges. He was of the opinion such a proposal would jeopardise the carrying of the loan. Cr. Morison seconded Cr. Dingle’s amendment. Cr. King wanted to know what was going to be the cost of these bridges. Flo said Cr. Morison would vote for anything for the other side of the river; it did not matter a “hang” what it was. Cr. King said he would not be satisfied until ho knew what it was going to Post:, and he thought Cr. Thompson’s motion would meet with the entire approval cf the Council. The amendment was lost, and Cr. Thompson’s motion on being put to the meeting was carried.