The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-21
HUDSON RIVER BRIDGE
Interesting Facts About the
Proposed Plan to Cross
the Hudson.
TO COST TWENTY MILLIONS
1t Will Extend New Jersey Trau-
sit Lines and Facilitate BUS
mess With New York. :
TO COST TWENTY MILLIONS

The plan to throw a bridge across the
Hudson River and thus more closely
connect the States of New Jersey and
New York, long a theory in the minds of
Americas brightest OWL engineers. mas
by the action of the House Of Rspresen.
tatives only two days z rapidly ap-
preached the condition stage. Its reali-
alton is within a measurable distance OF
success.
After a hard fghr against almost in
superable obstacles the promoters Of the
New York and New Jsrsey Bridge are on
the eve of reaping the rswards of their
perseverance,. That there is a demand
for such a structure none will deny.
Tue large aud growing population In
New Jersey doing business In New York
requires better facilities for reaching
that city. This Is at once apparent when
1t is remembered that last year alone over
100. 000, coo passengers and 130, DOC. 900 tons
of freight crossed the river by ferry. A
bridge crossing the river Is not 50 much In
tended to supersede the existing methods
Of transferring passengers aud freight
across the Hudson River, but rather to
increase the rapidity and decrease the
cost OF transit In parts not reached by
ferries. 1t will not. it Is claimed, inter-
fere with the present system of handling
freight by car or floats which reach all
parts of New Jerseys water front or the
Hudson River.
A company was then formed to carry
out such q project, and as far back as
1858 q charter was granted by Chapter
$50 of the laws of this State. authorizing
the New York and New Jersey Company
to bridge the Hudson River opposite the
city OF New York. In chat charter il
was provided thai 1t should not take
effect until the State OF New York should
grant a similar charter. which was
granted by the latter State in 1890.
Armed with legal authorities the com-
panies, for there was one In each State,
Joined hands and organIzsd; the New
York Company, with its capital stock of
5000 0 required by that States charter.
saa s With N iss si Se .osG os GS%1
stock. Since their amalgamation
the capital stock has climbed into the
millions OF dollars. This union or COILS
soIIdation of The companies took place
December 81. 1891. From that time to
the present the company has beeu push-
Ing Its bill through Congress with the
above mentioned result.
The bill recently passed, which The
JERSEY CITY NEWS gave in extenso to It's
readers on Thursday. is a modification OF
the original bill introduced last year by
Congressman Covert and known in the
parlsnce of Congress as III. R. 1856,
Fifty-second Congress. First Session, ;"
QUESTIONS Of approaches raised BY the
Sinking Fund Commissioners OF New
York, which, with other provisos.
moulded that bill into its present form.
LOCATION OF THE BRIDGE.
The location OF the bridge liked by the
bill, TO be approved by the Secretary of
War before 1t becomes dual, is between
the foot Of Seventy~first street, New
York, and a point on the Jersey Shore
NOT far from Weehawken; a clause IL
the New Jersey Charter not allowing the
bridge TO be located below the south line
OF the Township of Union.
When the bill was first made public, q
drawing of the proposed bri lge YVES also
published, but the latter, like tine former,
has undergone oranges and, as 1t stands
today, it is thoroughly unlike what was
first represented. Through the courtesy
OF Judge George w. Browne. President
OF the New York and New Jersey Con-
struction Company. a NEWS representa-
tive Was permitted TO inspect o model of
The bridge to be erec.e !, and the facts
publlc:-
ITS DIMENSIONS.
Tbs structure is what Is technically
known as "A Cantilever Railroad
BrlQge," anu lion extreme cud to end
will measure 4. l20 :eeG.esAt will be sup
ported by Two piers. From the New
Jersey shore to the first pier there will be
$40 feet and A similar distance from New
Yerk shaI g To the pier nesrest the same.
Ihe piers and entire structure Will be of
wrought iron. Tue area of the base OF the
pier Will be about 1000 feet. Al pier
vii consist OF four upright iron frame
works res ing On stone foundations sunk
iuto the bed Of the Hubs III. Betwean
each pier there will be u clear Waterway
pf z, 100 feet. This width is determluei
BY i clause In the bill which allows i