The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-16
THE COSTLY BRIDGE.
LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE

A LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
TESTIMONY OF TWO OF THE TRUSTEES.
subcommittee of the Assembly Standing Com
mittee on Commerce and Navigation met yesterday
at the Metropolitan Hotel. The following the
names of its members Charles r. Knowles. chair
man; Henry L. Duguid. Onondaga; James Low.
Niagara; James L. Wells. Westchester; Thomas T..
Sheridan, Kings; Thomas +. Grady. New York. The
committee meet under the powers given In the
following resolution
Resolved That the Committee Commerce and Navga-
on be and they hereby authorized and directed
qure into and the and allegations
which has been presented to the Legsaure especially
TO w' ne NeT SoTs an
and damage diminish tho value Of property within said
peting the work according present plan
and any m 10 ENABLE o .e M nS 80
and the interests Of the people of New York and
IN Of
yn and to send for persons and pspersIa', 'l ".,
Messrs. Henry c. Murphy. Mr.. Stranahap and Mr..
Edgar M. Cullen, and one or two others who ap-
peared representatives of the bridge trustees Me-
William II. Armour. who represented Comptroller
Kelly. and John H. strahan. who appeared
for tho memorialists. were among those
present The first witness called was Mr. Henry
G. Murphy. who repeated the testimony he
has given before several previous commit
tees In reply to an inquiry of tho chairman
he Notwithstanding to the present estimates Of the
will be $13 500 co., and this is not based guess
work but upon estimates based on actual cxpendi-
lures, and Of this amount Sl0.00o.OOO has been OK
pended The remaining cost S3.5OO,0oO will be used
first by the superstructure. The cables COM
pleted at this moment. also the towers and anchor
ages save the parapets. The estimate includes the
cost of the land taken for the approaches. On the
Brooklyn side have either purchased tho land or
have agreed with the owners to the price-a of it.
On the New York side there is about million dollars
worth left unsettled. but we have. in every case.
estimated the property at twice the assessed value
ACCOMMODATIONS OF THE BRIDGE. ,- ~
At the close OF Mr.. Humphreys testimony the
committee took until four O'Clock. ut which
time Mr.. j. 5. L. Stranahan called witness,
He said that he substantially concurred in all that
Mr.. Murphy had testified to; there would be some
distractions to commerce, he thought: but no
more than is occasioned by the bridges over
the Ohio and the Mississippi; the topmasts
of large vessels would have to be lowered.
1t the intention of the trustees to allow foot pas
sengers go free The benefit to be received by the
cities OF New York and Brooklyn would be about
equal. 1t would tend to make municipality of
both As to any transportation of money he was
certain there had been none Tho bridge would have
two railroad tracks and two carriage ways There
engines to move IL. The foot paths would be each
six and q half feet wide and the bridge would be
much safer than the ferries.
ANOTHER HELD.
The committee went into executive session at the
close of Mr.. Stranahan's testimony. and afterward
announced that they would meet again on Monday at
two o'clock and they would then hear witnesses In
reference to obstruction to navigation and also to
the safety of the bridge.