The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-12-14

NO HUDSON BRIDGE
Secretary Lamont Rejects
the Plan for the Centre
Pier.
ENGINEERS CONDEMNED IT
President of the Company Says
the Decision Practically Kills
the Whole Scheme.

of the companies organized to bridge the
Hudson River at New York, insisting
that the bridge to be constructed across
the Hudson River at New York must
be a suspension bridge. or at least one
without a pier in the river. Thu Secre-
tary's letter is dated Wednesday.
The Secretary quotes from the Presl-
dents message vetoing the first bridge
bill, showing that his objections were
based entirely upon the obstructions
to that would result from the
location of a pier at any point in the
river, and expressing the opinion thai
any plan involving the use of such
pier should be rejected.
THE EXPERTS REPORT.
The Secretary shows how the expert
commission provided by the new act
was appointed and reported with the
result of demonstrating that a single
span across the Hudson from pier-head
to pier-head between Fifty-ninth and
Sixty-ninth streets. built on either the
cantilever or suspension principle,
would be safe. They pronounced the
8.lOo-foot clear span cantilever imprac-
ticable on inancial grounds, and as the
cost of a single span suspension bridge
would be only one-third greater thar
than that of a 2,000-foot cantilever'
such greater cost was not enough to
render the suspension bridge impractlc-
able. They also pointed out that the
contingency and doubt attending the
sinking of a pier for a cantileVer was
enough to balance a part of the greater
cost of the suspension bridge.
The Secretary says that this finding
was confirmed and strengthened by the
unanimous report of "a board of engi-
neer officers endorsed by the Chief of
Engineers of the Army. This board ex-
pressed the belief that 100000 0 was
a reasonable estimate for a slX-tracK
railroad suspension bridge 1920 feet long;
that the traffic would warrant expense,
and that the bridge could be so con-
structed as to be capable of a con-
siderable increase of dimensions.
COST OF DIFFERENT TYPES.
The Secretary next quotes estimates
furnished by this board and the cost
of the different types of bridges. A
cantilever, clear span 1900 feet, would
cost S25, 443, 600; with the necessary VIA
duct to make it equal a 3,200-foot suspen-
sion bridge it would cost S26, 1880 10 A
suspension bridge of the same capacity
5000 pounds per foot of tackle), clear
span $500 feet, total length $500 feet,
would cost S35, 1861, ST.. The same bridge
of capacity of 1,500 pounds moving load
per foot track, would cost $50, $4,000. II
the strain on the cables of such a bridge
were reduced by heavier construction
from $4,000 to $4,000 pounds per square
inch, the cost would be $31, 81, 600. Lo-
Gated near Sixty-ninth street, with a
moving load of 5000 pounds per foot
track, the cost would be $751; 81, GIL. With
the load reduced to 1,500 pounds per foot
track, same location, the cost would be
s27, H. 900. phe Army Engineer Board
reduced the estimates for the last des-
cribed bridge to s23. 900, 000.
The Secretary says, in conclusions
and 1 am further assured by members
of the commission that the lime required
for construction would be approximately
the same. In view, therefore, of these
facts and findings, and of the very seri-
Gus objections to a pier in the harbor,
with its attendant delay and consequent
menace to navigation, I am constrained
to require that the bridge to be built by
the New York and New Jersey Bridge
Company across the Hudson River shall
nave d SllSIG spar OclNCSlh liz PiCi hHS0
of the harbor of New York.
while 1 do not undertake to say that
the objection of an obstruction in the
harbor is sufficiently grave to prohibit
the construction of a pier bridge were a
suspension bridge impracticable, it is a
matter for public congratulation that
a scientific investigation of the subject
by skilled and experienced engineers de-
termines that both the traffic on the river
as well as that over it can be accom-
moeated without interfering, and the
rights of all protected, with only such
an increase of expense, if any, as is
clearly demanded by the conceded advant-
ages to follow"
SWAN MAKES AN UGLY CHARGE.
Treasurer Swan of the New York and
New Jersey Bridge Company charged
openly that the Vanderbilt interests
have triunphed. He said tonight
Il am. surprised at the decision. 1t
practically means prohibiting the build
ing of a bridge over the Hudson River.
1t means that only the Vanderbilt rail
road interests shall enter the city of
New York. We shall endeavor to secure
bids from responsible contractors and
try to raise the money to build the
bridge, but I don believe it can be
secured. We found that unless the ex-
penditure can be kept below s25, G00,0 900
for the bridge proper there would be lit
tie hope of enlisting the necessary fnan-
cial support for the undertaking. A
suspension bridge would cost $35, 000, 600.
1t is possible that under favorable cir
cumstances the work represented by this
expenditure might be completed in four
years. The interest YOU certainly
amount to s13, 179, 600, as it would take
twelve years to build it. This would
make the cost of the bridge proper $4S,-
600, 600, which would be prohibitory. A
cantilever bridge with a 2,000-foot span
can be built in four years, and the total
interest charge would not exceed 81, 700,-
600, which, added to the cost, gives $22,-
7oD,OO for the bridge proper"
SECRETARY LAMONT'S REASONS.
Secretary Lamont expressed to your
correspondent tonight regret at having
to decide against the bridge company.
There was no other course for him to
pursue, he said. Personally, he was in
favor of a bridge across the North
River, and in favor of putting a pier in
the river if the bridge could not be
built without it. He did NOT think, he
said. that, while there was a great deal
of ferrying on the river at the point
where the bridge would cross, a pier
would seriously interfere with aviga