The Globe. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1874.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 157, 4 December 1874, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1874.

We wonder how long the City Council are going to keep the bridge in Colombo street, which goes over the Avon, in its present state. The bridge has now been closed for some considerable time, greatly to the annoyance of a large body of people who live just beyond it. Of course there were good reasons for the closing, as the bridge had been pronounced by the City Surveyor to be unsafe for traffic in its, present condition, but surely something should have been done before this to render it available. But no ! day after day, week after week goes by, and things still remain in statu quo. No wonder that the residents in the neighborhood are, and have been for some time past, grumbling at the stopping up of one of the principal thoroughfares of the city. The closing of the bridge must make a perceptible difference in the trade of one or two of the bouses situatuafed beyond the river, and wo have no doubt that some of the residents there would not object to subscribe towards the repairing or mending of the bridge, if the City Council are in such a poverty-stricken state that they dare not commence the necessary works at present. Another fact to which we wish to call attention is (he very dangerous method of stopping carts and carriages that has been adopted by the Council. A plank is nailed across the bridge at each end, about three feet from the ground, and room is still left for foot passengers to make use of the bridge. This is all very well in the daytime, but let us suppose that anyone driving a spring cart should come into town after dark by the route in question. The only light is on the Post Office end of the bridge, and no one can possibly see, from a conveyance, the plank which is nailed up across the other end. If a man is driving at a fair average pace he is as likely as not to come crash into the obstacle before he can possibly pull up, and the consequences would be an accident that must be attended with great risk to the unfortunate occupant, or occupants, of the vehicle. There should at least be the means of compelling the Council to place a light at each end of the bridge, as long as it is allowed to remain as it is at present, and we have no doubt that if it was a private affair, instead of being under the regime of the Council, this would have been insisted on long ago. The possible accident that we have alluded to, was within an ace of taking place the other evening, and we have no guarantee that the next time, the driver may be able to pull up his horse in time to avoid the inevitable crash. Altogether the present state of things is not creditable to the City Council, and we trust that the inhabitants of that part of the city, affected by the closing up of the thoroughfare, will make a proper representation to the Council of the inconvenience that is at present being inflicted on them by the dilatoriness of that body.