The evening world., 1894-07-13
DEF|ES TIE n. Y. c.
Secretary Swan, Of the New Hud-
SOL Bridge, Answers Depew.
Will Have the Landing Pier on Land
Now Und r. Water.
And Run the Approach 100 Feet
Above the Railroad Tracks.

The statement of President Clauncey
NJ. Depew, of the New York Central
Railroad. that as his road controlled the
entire North River water front bctW cen
lTifty-ninth and Seyeuty-second streets,
it would lie impossible for the. 10000 900
New York and New Jersey Bridge to
secure Il pier landing within those points,
and advising the Bridge Company to 80
up to RiN ersidr Park and land there, is
pooh-poohed by Secretary swan. OF the
Bridge Company.
Secretary Swan says the bridge can
cross the Central Railroad tracks and
property $50 feet in the air and do 1t
legally at any point on the Hudson
River font between Fifty-ninth and
SiSticth streets.
This is how he explains the situation:
In 1890 Andrew H. Green, Col Hahn,
Evan Thomas, Charles NJ. Vail and
lsdor Strauss, the Commissioners APP
pointed by the State of New York to
determine the location of the bridge APP
proaches In New York city, chose the
block bounded by west OF Eleventh
avenue, SEVENTEEN and S;eventy-trt
streets and on to the river. They
located our pier outside Of all property
controlled by the Central railroad.
The water pier landing is on under
water land belonging to the city of New
York, and not to Dcpew or Vanderbilt.
our plans showed that we went $50 feet
in the air over all the railroad or pri-
tatc property intervcuur.
Now, in 1894, the United States Con
grcSs decides that the bridge landing
must be located between rifty-ninth
and SiXtieth streets. Therefore we are
bound to build between these points.
AT Siaty-ninth street up to the cx-
{ cror pier-head line. our landing would
be outside of the Central Railroad prop
crty, and on lands under water owned
by the city. There are 10 piers or any
thing else to interfere with us there.
AT Fitty-ninth street, upon the block
between Fifty-ninth and Sl\tieth streets,
ais and there the landing could he made
under water also on city lands within
the exterior pier-hcad line, Just as at
Sixty-ninth street. The land suiiah BILE for
tween Fifty-ninth and SiXtieth streets,
west of Eleventh avenue. belongs to pri-
vatc individuals.
1T is, however. true that the New York
Central railroad owns part of the land
and leases the balance from the city of
New York between SlNtteth and Seven
ticth streets, but it don't lease or own
the air. by the law of eminent domain
We eau go overhead over the railroad
tracks or condemn private property foi
our use.
with the Central road when We built
the Poughkeepsie Bridge. but We built
it just the same and carried our APP
proaches over the railroad tracks just
as we propose to do now.
THE New York and New Jersey Bridge
Company was organized with private
capital in lSao. The States of New York
and New Jersey have given us all the
rights that lay within their powers to
build the bridge, and the United States
Government has approved the action of
| the two States.
that all plans and details of the bridge
are subject 20 approval by the Board
! of Expert Engineers as to the length
ers as to the traffic powers OF the
bridge These latter Commissioners
may demand carriage and foot ways,
| is only as a railroad bridge that our
plans have been made. Finally, every
! thing must be app owed by the SeCre-
tary of War. He Is the final arbitrator,
and whatever he says should be done
must he done.
/ II think that we can only IND suit
able landing either at Fifty-ninth str, ct
/ or at Sixtieth street and at one Of those
two points, Chauncey NJ. Depew or no
ChSuncey NJ: bepew. the !r:dse building
Until We know which of the two To-
cations is finally selected We cannot
take any action towards securing the
land either 10y lease or purchase from
private owners or by direct lease from
the city"
The Board OF Expert Engineers net
! again this morning and immCjia tely
went into executive session TO consider
further borngs and statisti.s Of resist
ant strains for the bridge piers The
Board adjourned this ntteYnC IN until
next Monday morning, wnCn the SESSION
Will again be private
On Tuesday the meeting viii be OF en-,
and Il partial report of tn" BJlrIs work
SO TAR probably made public.