The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-13
DEFIES The n. Y. C.
Secretary Swan, of the New Hud-
son Bridge, Answers Depew.
Will Have the Landing Pier on Land
Now Undsr Water.
And Run the Approach $50 Feet
Above the Railroad Tracks.

The statement of President Chauncey
NJ. Depew. of the New York Central
Railroad. that as his road controlled the
entire North River water front between
Fifty-nnth and Seventy-second streets,
it would be impossible for the $4,000. 900
New York and New Jersey Bridge to
secure n pier landing within those points,
and advising the Bridge Company to 20
up to Riverside 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
Sixtieth streets.
This Is how he explains the situation:
In 1890 Andrew II. Green. Col. Hahn,
Evan Thomas. Charles NJ. Vail and
Isidor Straus. the Commissioners ap-
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 Seventy-tirt
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 Depew or Vanderbilt.
Our plans showed that we went $50 feet
in the air over all the railroad or pri-
waite property Intervening.
! Now. IN 1884. the United States Con-
must be located between Fifty-ninth
and SiNtieth streets. Therefore we are
bound TO build between these points.
AT SiXty-ntnth street up TO the eX..
terror pier-head line. our Landing would
De outside OF the Central railroad prop
erty, and on lands under water owned
by the city. There, are no piers or any
thing else To interfere with us there.
AT Fifty-ninth street, upon the block
between h'ifty-ninth and SiXtieth streets,
the property is held by private individu-
under water also on city lands within
the exterior picr-head line. just as at
SIXTY ninth street. The land suitable for
the LANDING pier on the upiands be-
west of Eleventh avenue. belongs to pri-
vate individuals.
1T is. however, true that the New York
Central railroad owns part Of the land
ana leases the balance from the city of
New urk between SiXtieth and Seven
tieth streets, hut II don't lease or own
the air. by the law of eminent domain
we can go overhead over the railroad
tracks or condemn private property fol
our use
I'VE had jus, the same Identical fight
with the Central road when we built
the Poughke,psie Bridge, but we built
II Just the same and carried our APP.
proaches over the railroad tracks. just
as We propose to do nov.
The New York and New Jersey Bridge
Company was organized vita private
capita. in 1880 The States OF New York
and New Jersey have given us all the
! rights that lay within their powers t.
bula the bridge, and the unitel Statee
Government has approved the action oi
1T should be distinctly understood
that all plans and details of the bridg.
are subject 10 approval by the Board
OF span and by the State Commission,
bridge, Tho.e latter Commissioners
may demand carriage and foot ways
and We would have to provide them II
, they So elected, though at present II
Is only as z railroad bridge that oui
thing must be approved by the Score
; tary OF War He Is the final arbitrator
and whatever he says should be done
must be- done.
| ~ think that we can only fnd a suit
? able landing either at Fifty-nlnth stree
or At SlN'ieth street, and ~ one Of those
two points, Chauncey NJ, Depaw CT nC
Chauncey NJ. bepew. the ridge building
Will be located.
, Until we know which of the two To-
cations is finally selected We cannot
take any action towards securing tht
land either by lease or purchase from
private owners or by direct lease from
the city"
The Roard ~ Expert Engineers me-
again this morning and Immediately
went into executive session to cons !dei
further borings and statistics OF resist
BOARD adjourned this nfternc IN Until
next Monday morning. ~nen the SCISSOR
VIII again be private.
on Tuesday the meeting viii! be o, en-
"a N la 20 prl
| SO far probably made public.