The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-11
JOINT CONSENT IMPERATIVE.
There VIII be NO Trouble when the
SECRETARY of War C0nse nts.

There VIII be no Trouble when the
Secretary of War Consents.
NEW YORK. June II, 1s95.-Two plans
were forwarded for the approval of the
Secretary of War. One plan was sent to
Washington by the New York corpora
ton bearing the name, New York and
New Jersey Bridge Company, and one by
the New Jersey corporation bearing the
same name.
The two corporations are under con-
tract made between themselves to build
the bridge and maintain it jointly, each
company guaranteeing the bonds of the
other, but under an act of Congress,
granting to the two companies the Fed
eral Governments permission to pan the
Hudson River, each company IS per-
mitted to submit plans for the structure
to the Secretary OF War, without whose
approval the plans cannot be put into
execution.
The New Jersey Company had plans
drawn by George S. Morrison of Chicago,
which R. Floyd Clarke, one of the direc-
tors of the company, and its counsel,
says showed that a four-track bridge
could be completed for $21 600, 600, and a
s.x-traek one for $24, 500, 900.
The New York Company employed
Theodore Cooper of this city to pass upon
several plans, and Mr.. Cooper favored
one drawn by Charles Macdonald of the
Union Bridge Company, providing for six
tracks at a cost guaranteed not to exceed
S25, 600, GOO.
"There seems to be considerable mis-
Apprehension in regard to the exact
status of the two corporations engaged
in the enterprise of the New York and
New Jersey Bridge. These corporations
are entirely distinct and Independent 50
- ~ - - --aI ~,
New York and New Jersey; but as under
the State charters neither could CON
boundaries, they have, pursuant to pow
ers given in the laws of the States, re-
spectively, entered into a union contract
contract the two corporations are part
ners to build the bridge together, every
thing to be done by joint consent, and
nothing can be lone without joint con-
seThe two corporations, acting under
State charters. could not span the river
Congres on June 1, 1894, authorizing
them to bridge the river.
1.-The seventh clause of that act reads:
That the said mpan or companies
shall file an acceptance of its. terms with
the Secretary of War and shall submit
| after the passage of. this act for examin-
| alton and approval drawings showing
plan and location OF the bridge and its
| approaches
.fActing under this. the New York com
pany has approved and filed certain
plans prepared by the Union Bridge
Company. known as the Macdonald
, plans, and the New Jersey Company
has Joined in the submission of these
plans but has also submitted for. APP
prevail to the Secretary of War as the
plans which It prefers the plans and draw
ings prepared at the New Jersey COM
pany's instance, by George S. Morrison
of Chicago.
"Both Companies are in good faith at
tempting to build this bridge. Whenthe
Secretary of War has approved a certain
plan, whatever that plan may be. the
New Jersey corporation stands ready to
| adopt it and accept. In like manner, I
believe. the Commissioners of New York
| State, without whose approval the New
| York company cannot act, stand ready
to accept anything thet may be declared
by the Secretary of War to be the best
nlan for the bridge. If. by any POSSIBLE
lily. the New York Commission should
refuse to adopt the plan approved nv the
| Secretary of War. the result would be
| that only one of the companies would
have acted under the act Of CONGRESS.
and had its. plan approved. and there
would then be a way out of the diff
Guilty which it is not necessary to discuss
until 1t arises"