New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-14
PRICE THREE CENTS
FOR A SINGLE-SPAN BRIDGE.
SECRETARY LAMONT vETOEs THE PRO.
JECT FOR A CANTLEvER STRUCTURE
PIER IN THE NORTH RIVER. HE SAYS. WOULD
BE SERIOUS AND CONSTANT MENACE TO
NAvIGATIoN-ANY INCREASED EXPENSE
FULLY WARRANTED BY THE
GREATER ADVANTAGES OF

NAvIGATION-ANY INCREASED EXPENSE
FULLY WARRANTED BY THE
GREATER ADVANTAGES OF
SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
Washington Dec l3.-Secretary Lamont has Dc.
clined to approve the project OF the New-York
and New-Jersey Bridge Company to build can
tever bridge involving pier In the Hudson
River although it appears from letter ad'ressed
to him by the company on November y tnat
provisional contract had been made with the
Union Bridge Company for the construction OF
such a structure. The Secretary, in letter dated
yesterday, quotes to the president ot the ordge
company Mr.. Cleveands message vetong the act
passed at the first session Of the present Con-
gress permitting such a bridge. which led to the
passage OF a modified bill INTENDED to conform
IN and meet the objections urged by the Pres-
dent" and which directed the President to create
a board of five competent. practical disinterested'
expert bridge engineers to examine ana determine
at what length OF span. not less than 2'VU reet'
practicable railway bridge could be built, ana
MAKE their determination to the length OF the
span final Under the provisions OF this Dill the
President appointed Major Charles W. Raymond
Of the Corps Of Engineers; Professor william H.
Burr of Columbia College: g. Bouscaren. OF Cih-
clnnati: George s. Morison OF Chicago. ana Iheo'
dore Cooper. Of New-York. who, after a thorough
Investigation Of every phase of the problem. SUD-
mitted an exhaustive report signed by all the
members which closed in part with the following
recommendations:
The only subject referred to your board is 70
recommend what length Of span not less man
ZOO feet would be safe and practicable for ran,
road bridge to be consrueed nd sNtynnh
single span from pier-head to pier-head Duilt IS
the rss sI on he
span can'ilever being about twice tnat os ,us ,m
fed in pronouncing it mpracticable on financial
grounds AS the cost of the snsle;spsn % susPenS
greater 9 than that Of the 2oofoot cantever
board are unable to say that sueh sdea'eir imnpsct
cable.
This finding confirmed and strengthened ny
the unanimous report OF a board or uniteo states
Engineer officers appointed prior 10 the legislative
provision for a board with instructions TO 'invesu-
gate and report their conclusions as TO the maxi
mum length of span prac..cabe for suspension
bridges, and consistent with an amount OF uah'S
probably sufficient to warrant the expense OF CON-
struction" The conclusion OF this board was a.
follows:
The final plans for work OF such magnitadoSe
would only be adopted after the most EXTENDED
theoretical and experimental nyestgauons, S.S anu c.
estimated cost would undoubtedly be nluch reauCeo
by such studies. Assuming the most favorable To-
cation and the most eompe'en, ,bs @ Is rss
sonaple estimate for sly anS b rarodr sh.
s@auRf si2@ Sr'ass Si 5e FEET Such s%Ssnss Il
ccSSs;racon 'u''ffs' They believe, however the
bridge should be so constructed that Its eapaeny
system this can be provided for by giving suitable
dimensions to the towers and anchorages II sum
gineers TO prepare competitive designs and essi.
for ESa 9sdss E; sas
would be obtained Within the limit OF cost OF the
estimate given ABOVE 49,.
Rrieav stated the finding OF the engineers Is that
ho,h tho ooo foot cantilever bridge which requires
a nIer IN the river and the 3l0c-foot In the clear
suspension bridge. without centre pier. would Do
safe and not impractlcabe as to cost the estimates
being follows:
Pier cantever six tracks sr elea. eaad 'pa
pounds per foot Of track. SIS 4o total length IN,
Guiding ysauG S.Ts clear span Of 500
feet $500 feet moving load, 5000 pounds per foot OF
Suspension bridge six trsckscsa5 Span IosG s s
1oT bounds 1s' per square inch sa74sc Moving LOAD 5
D nn5s PsupeT peT psI square G' inch location near
sxty-ninthst moving load SVo p9TndS Hr
moving load 1900 pounds per foot OF track .tn, Sma
OO location near Sixty nntn-s. ,sr fnot 81 track
10000
Secretary Lamont says he Is further assured oy
the members of the commission that the time re-
ou,red for construction would be approximately the
same for either bridge and closes his letter as ioi-
lows:
In view Of these facts san and II ndngs S SarsoS sne
OF the serious objections 3 70 pses m to
navigation am constrained TO require sn1s i.v s.v
bridge be built by the New Ot diio ~
RrtgSe Companies across the Hudson River shau
have single span between the pier lines VI '"s
While / do not undertake to say that the ooJec-
ton OF obstruction In the narpos Is s su,nb bds
grave 10 prohibit the construction or pier orose
we're a suspension bridge inpracticaoie' ~ Is a
r,,tter for public congratulation that scientinc
inVestigaion OF the subject by skilled and expert
ancad engineers determines that both the ramc on
,he river as we'll as that over II can be accommo.
dated without interference and the rights OF all
protected with only such an increase o. expense E
r any as is clearly demanded by the conceded ad-
yantageS 10 follow.