The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-01-31

be devised that will meet the de-
mand, and at the same time conserve the
large and locally important private COM
mercial interests that are centred in and
around the Gap. The main obstruction to
the bridge is undoubtedly offered by the
sugar house, which uses the streets in and
around their factory for storage room. A
TArTLER who visited the Gap with the Com
mittee observed that there is fall of
grade from Morris street to the Gap, and
wondered if this peculiarly might not be
utilized in solution of the problem that
would be acceptable to all sides. 1t seem
ed to him that by resting the bridge at
Morris street, and giving it slight rise,
all the distractions now encountered on
the street and water way might be avoided.
The street might be let for store-house
purposes to the sugar house, and the peo-
pie could pass over their heads to and fro.
The TATTLER has had architect Simon
draw for it the plan of such bridge as
might answer the purpose and presents it
above. It will be seen from the plan
that the proposition is to construct
draw-bridge revolving on central pin
built in the centre of the Gap stream. In
order that barges, tug-boats and email
craft can pass underneath the bridge, it is
desirable that the floor of the structure
should be elevated far enough above the
level of high tide to allow for such passage.
To obtain this elevation it will be neces-
sarY to commence the construction of the
bridge approaches as far back as Essex or
Norris street and gradually elevate it at o
grade of two feet to the hundred feet
The distance from Morris street to the
water front of Washington street is 1,070
feet, giving a rise of twenty-one feet six
inches above the level of Morris street; but
as the Morris street level. is ten feet six
inches above that of the end of Washing
ton street at the water front, we have
total altitude of thirty-two feet at the end
of the street. The ssstring- piece of the
dock at the foot of the street is six
feet avove high water mark, and about
fourteen feet above low water mark.
Adding the six feet distance to
the 81 feet already gained on the land
height, the span over the water will clear
38 feet at high water, and at low water 46
feet. That will allow almost any tugboat
or ordinary craft except large steamers or
sailing vessels to travel under, and the
draw would require to be open only on
special occasions On the other side of
the . Gap the erade would not be even
as much as that required on the Matthies-
a
grade. Independently of this, there is
plenty of room there to arrange grade as
desired. The next question to be consid-
cred is the carting and unloading facilities
of the Matthiessen firm. Washington
street, at this point, is sufficiently wide
not only to allow the sidewalks to remain
as they are, but also to permit the con-
struction of the proposed bridge ION iron
posts similar to elevated rallways) wide
enough for the passage of two teams and
for footways, and q roadway for trucks
down by the side Of the bridge to the river,
front. If it is considered not advisable to
construct the bridge at less width than
Washington street, then the centre of the.
bridge approaches in the roadway can be
constructed with an archway similar to the
Fourth avenue, New York, horse-car rail-
road tunnel The firms teams or the track
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad can run d.
rectly through the archway of the bridge,
and once under the bridge the entire
width of the street would be ct their dis
posal, the bridge teams passing on or off
the bridge each side of this archway. 1t is
also proposed that the end or two outside
piers OF the bridge shall not block up the
water front on Washington street CT the
other side of tho "Gap :" therefore,
as seen on plan, they would be con-
structed thirty feet back froEs the front of
the string piece. leaving depth of dock
of so feet and an entire dock front of the
width of Washington street. These piers
would cost but little for foundations, no
caisons being required in construction.
Storage room on this side of the . Gap is
wanted by the sugar-house. It can be sup
piled, the city reap rental, and the Math-
essen frm a atOre-houae "a follows Rv