New-York tribune., 1891-12-31
MAKING HISTORY WITH a SPADE.
GROUND BROKEN IN THIS CITY FOR NORTH
RIVER BRIDGE.

GROUND BROKEN IN THIS CITY FOR NORTH
RIVER BRIDGE
The New York ard New Jersey Bridge Company an
nounced few days ago that the construction OF ther
great North River bridge would fegn, on the New orK
side, property Of the company at Nos 3o' anu oo'
West sixty .sevenst at yesterday Those who ac-
cepted the invitation found flag covered stahd erect
on the sidewalk facing the property, which consists
OF stable yard. surrounded by unsavory and tumble
down frame shanties On the stand a luxuriant
Jungle OF Bridge Commissioners. AT noon precisely
Andrew H. Green walked down into the stableyard
with a firm tread, drove the chickens from his path
and, amid the enthusiasm Of multitude OF mixed
characters OF the river front, thrust spade
Into the earth, and "a epoch in the his
tory OF this great Nation as George W. Greene
said afterward in speech, had been begun. To the
naked, non-stockholing eye, the epoch was merely
shallow hole in ext emcy nasty ground hsufVeyors
pole then planted in the "epoch. and the rooster
with his dapdated hens surrounded 1t Immediately.
The treasurer Of the company found watching the
hole with a fathers pride which. however, gave way
to Indignation when told him that ii had been
said that no title deeds for either the Gutenberg prop
erty. where the NcwJersey hole dug last week. or
the -SeW-Yorlt property, could be found. He said
DO YOU think we want to have titles appear right
away You Just wait. tell you It's all right Yes,
OF course this Is property. When Will we begin TO
build! We expect to have worhmcn begin Oh the pier
here next week"
After the ground had been turned, the seed so to
speak, sowed in the shape Of many speeches which
received with attention by the crowd OF dock
laborers and olterers who didn't know what 1t was all
about. Andrew II. Green, OF course, uttered appro-
pirate remarks when he made history with the spade
Then Ex-Governor Rodman VI. Price, OF NewJersey,
made the address of fIe day. Charles II. Swan also
said few words among other remarks lie said that
the chief engineer Thomas c. Clarke, had informed him
that the bridge could be built in three years letter
from Governor Albeit of NewJersey, real, in which
he regretted his inability etc. George W. Greene gave
history Of the legislation for the bridge. In the Ian
guage Of the programme, other imminent speakers
followed
OF the officers Of the company, there were present
Andrew H. Green. George W. Greene, Henry NJ. 1iaar,
president; James T. Sparkman. vice president; William
Forster, treasurer and Frederick f. Culver secretary
of the New Jersey Bridge Company Wetmore Cryder
and Charles W. swan, OF the New York Bridge Com
pany.
The commissioners an present, with the excep
ton OF Colonel Frank X Hahn. Those for the State OF
New-York were Charles VI. Vail, Evan Thomas, Isidor
Straus, Joseph ii. swan and those for New-Jersey
were Allen I. McDermOt. Henry G. Herring, Frederic
+. Culver, William Forster John y. Dater, Thomas b.
Detser, Delos f. Culver, John Goldthrop, r. Floyd
Clarke. John Hopper, James T. Sparkman William ID.
Edwards, Cornelius Lydecker and the other officers
already mentioned some Of the invited guests on the
grand stand b. w. Spencer X. Floyd Clarke. Will
lam ID. Edwards, W. c. Bumscad. John {. DE la
Vergne Dr. f. p. Fowler, Z. G. Schaefer, DR.. F. Wet
tengel, DR.. Louis Arcularus Charles G. Causen, Will
lam Hoffman, George T. Hotang, william ii. klenkc,
j. D. Sparkman. jr., Charles Forster John q. Borg
stede. +. A. Lessner and General Schaefer