The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-01
The Hudson River Bridge.

The Senate on Saturday concurred with
the House in passing the bill to incorporate
tho North River Bridge Company, with au-
thority to build bridge from the city OF
New York to the New Jersey shore and to
maintain it as military and post road. A
single voice in opposition would have de-
layed this bill. and might have defeated it
for the present session; but it received
unanimous consent, and this circumstance,
and the hearty support given to 1t also in
the House, are encouraging.
The bill authorizes JORDAN L. Mort,
CHARLEs J. CANDA, and their associates to
build across the Hudson bridge having but
one span between the established pier lines Of
New York and New Jersey, and at height
which Is to exceed in the clear that Of the
Brooklyn Bridge. 1t is the business enter
prise OF private company, but it is of vast
Importance not only to the people Of the
two States most concerned but to the COM
MERGE Of the whole country.
In recommending the passage Of the bill,
the House committee reported that the
bridge ought to be "a national work, built
under national authority, and operated un-
der the supervision of the national Govern
ment, instead of under the patchwork legis-
lation OF two States" Three reasons were
given for this view, namely, that the traffic,
being wholly Interstate, should be subject
to tho Interstate Commerce law; that
there should be no risk OF abuses OF
administration and conflicts OF authority
under the homogeneous laws OF two States;
and that tho raising Of money could
be accomplished best under a single, ma
tional charter. In return for this recogni-
ton by tho Government, the plans Of the
bridge and the methods OF Its construction
must be approved by tho Secretary Of War.
There are provisions also for securing the
rights OF the public and of tho railroads to
its use under fair and proper conditions; for
one of the marked distinctions between this
great structure and the bridge that spans
the East River Is that the former will carry
from six to ten tracks connected with the
great railroads which go north, west. and
south from the New Jersey shore.
The dimensions proposed for this bridge.
In the plans OF Mr.. GUSTAV LINDENTHAL,
its designer show the magnitude OF the un-
dertaking. The great span will be not less
than $3.50 feet long, measured between the
centres OF the shore towers, or 1,265 feet
longer than that of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The two end spans will add about 1900
feet each, and the total length, including
the two approaches, would apparently BIO
about $500 feet. The towers will DO double
on each side, and 800 feet high, Of wrought
iron and steel, containing sixteen columns
each, and resting on enormous masonry
piers about twenty-five feet above high
water. In place OF the single cables OF the
Brooklyn Bridge there will be double cables,
one below tho other. about fifty feet apart.
and braced. The Brooklyn Bridge cables
are fifteen inches in diameter, but the pro-
digiOus cables OF the North River Bridge
will DO four feet In diameter.
This stupendous bridge is to be erected,
not only with no permanent distractions to
the navigation OF the river. but even with
out temporary obstruction. The false works
or supports in the stream. which are usually
employed in such cases to facilitate the
construction, are prohibited by the terms
of this bill, and that disposes of any op-
position to tho scheme which the towboat
interests might have. The project OF bridg-
ing the Hudson opposite tho city of New
York has been discussed for twenty
years, but usually on a plan invOlv-
Ing one or more piers in the river,
and sometimes drawbrdges besides. Con-
gress would never have consented to
such a project and the tug companies and
river transportation interests In general
would have fought it as Injurious. Tho
cross currents in the North River cause even
a tow OF moderate length to sWerVe far out