The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-12-25

; committee, presided. Among tnose pres
ent were Samuel Disston, Joseph W
Kerr, Henry V. Massey, s. s. Talbot
. Charles w. Weyman and Charles E.
Scott, all of the special committee; Presi-
: dent Joel Cook, E. F. Wagner, Alexander
C. Ferguson, Lewis w. Moore, Frank M
Chandler and Murrel Dobbins, of the
, Board of Port Wardens.
Mr.. Tucker stated that Messrs. Latta
and Dixey were present to represent the
applicants.
S. Robinson Cole, of Riverton, said he
. was not sufficiently acquainted with the
details of the subject, but was interested
in the speedy passage OF boats to and
from Riverton. He had been informed
that the stacks of some of the steamboats,
are So feet in height, while the bridge was
to be but 80 feet above the water, so that
either the bridge would have to be open
ed or the boats smoke stacks lowered.
The bridge being but so feet In height it
would interfere with the prompt passage
of the boats. He said he is somewhat in
terested in property at Riverton, and he
believed its value would be affected by
he proposed obstruction. There are va
rious small vessels going up and down the
river, and naturally it would be more
difficult than otherwise for sail vessels
which had to go through the draw. The
didn't want to throw any unnecessary
obstacles in its way.
Charles M. Biddle, of Riverton, said he
had lived at that place for so years. In his
opinion, the proposed bridge, with
height of so feet, would cause much trou-
BILE to the steamboats, and other vessels on
the river. 1t would be great advantage,
he thought, if the bridge we're to be
heightened. The channel at that point,
he said, is very narrow, and it would be
hard to get through unless the draw was
promptly opened. This would have to be
done repeatedly, and would be him
drance to the railroad company as we'll as
to the boats on the river. If the height
of the proposed bridge were increased 10
or 20 feet, Mr.. Biddle thought a large
proportion of the boats could go under
without necessitating the opening of the
bridge. 1t is a question, he said, where
the channel would be located after the
government was through with its present
work. He is not an engineer he said,
but thought if the proposed bridge were
to be built 70 feet in height it would not
interfere with the large bulk of travel.
Israel Llppineott, of Riverton, said he
had come as an objector to the bridge
project, because he had felt that such an
obstruction would be great detriment to
all points above the bridge. All steam
boats and sloops, he said. should have
free passage. If the bridge were to OBJ
struct these it would iDjure property.
Captain T. G. Edwards, of Bristol, Gen
eral Manager of the Upper Delaware
River Steamboat Company, said his only
objection to the proposed bridge was its
height, which would not allow the free
passage Of the steamboats, belonging to
his company to pass under it. Among
the steamers which it would interfere
with were the Forrest and Columbia
He said he had measured the stacks of
the Warner and Twilight on Monday,
and had found them to be 90 feet In
height.
Chairman Tucker asked him if the
stacks could not be lowered.
Captain Edwards answered that it |
might be done by telescoping. If the
stacks could be lowered by this means 10 |
feet no loss of time would ensue. If it
we're necessary to wait for the drawbridge |
to open it would cause delay of 10 min
utes each way. The boats of the Erics-
son Line and the Clyde Line has masts So
feet high.
"Can these masts be stepped ?" asked |
Chairman Tucker.
81 don't think they can," replied Cap
tain Edwards. He urged that the draw
bridge should be straight with the tide.
He said he had had talk with Chief
Engineer Brown. of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, and, although the plan did not
show it, Mr.. Brown had told him they in
tended to alter them so that the piers
would be straight with the tide. There
was formerly channel to the westward,
he said, which was used in "thick"
weather. The plan of the proposed
bridge, he said, shut this channel off.
Captain Wilson, of the Wilmington
Steamboat Company, said: ~ object to
any bridges across navigable streams
which are not of sufficient height to war
rant free transportation on the river.
While the drawbridge might be in the
channel to-day" he said, cit might not
be in the channel one year from now.
If it would be possible to make the
bridge rs feet high it would be an advan-
tage to the railroad as well as to the
steamboats,. The government had done
everything" he said, ito make the chan
mel at fixed point, but nevertheless it
had changed"
In answer to question from Mr.. Diss- |
ton, Captain Wilson said his company's |
boats were compelled to go through |
drawbridge going to and from Whining
ton, and that the bridge was great OBJ
struction, causing a delay of 10 minutes |
each day. and on other occasions much |
greater delays. This bridge, he said was
less than 40 feet in height, and its draw
bridge had broken down twice, thus
causing delay of two hours and quar-
ter. Captain Wilson, in answer to CUES
ton from Chairman Tucker, said the
masts in the Wilmington Companys
boats could be lowered, but it would be at
some COST These masts, he said, are
really king posts" and are used to
brace the boat and carry the strain from
the extremities.
Mr.. Latta said the bridge, according to
the plan, had been put as high as 1t could
be, because of the approaches and the
conditions on the New Jersey side. The
approaches, he said, should be as level as
possible. The bridge would be a great
benefit. If the project could be expedit-
ed it would be of great interest both to
the city of Philadelphia and to the river.
1t hardly seemed to him that this city
would place in comparison with bridge
to cost $l,500,000 an item of So, 900 for
smokestacks. 1t was business question.
| he said, and he thOupht IL could ha nron