Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-04

HOW THE NEW EASTF
have been working assiduously on these
plans since March ast last. when the
War Department decided that the COM
pany could not obstruct navigation on
the Hudson river by building a mid
stream pier, necessary for the cantilever
bridge which had been decided upon.
Secretary Lamont decided that the bridge
would have to be of the suspension KIND,
necessitating a span of heretofore untried
dimensions and this demanded a complete
change Of the plans of the North-River
Bridge Company. which controls the
concession for the building of the bridge.
The pier on the New York side OF the
river will be between Fifty-ninth and
S!xtieth streets, and on the Jersey side
Just above the heights of Weehawken.
The river span will be $500 feet-just
about double the length of the span OF
the Brooklyn bridge, which is 1855 IL
feet There were many critics twenty
years ago that asserted that a 1,5O-foot
span was unsafe and impracticable. The
project of building a 3.2oo-foot span at
a height sufficient to allow great battle
ships TO pass beneath without hinderance
OF any kind will doubtless bring forth
many similar structures and criticisms.
The great obstacle TO the building OF
the bridge before has been of a financial
character and not because Of engineer
ing reasons. But for the panic of 1891,
when money was so tight, the bridge
would have been now well under way
II was the original intention of the COM
pany to build suspension-bridge but
the money stringency cause 1t to plan
n structure that would require less capt.
tai. and the cantileyer type was decided
upon.
OPPOSED THE CANTILEvER.
For this purpose two companies were
organized. one company got a charter
in New York. the other in New Jersey.
The former charter forbds the construc
ton of a pier In the river, the latter does
not. AS the jurisdiction of New York
ceases at the midchannel-line, II thus
became possible, so far as State authority
was concerned, TO build a pier on the
Jersey side of the channel, and with a
single span of about 1900 feet reach in
side the New York pierhead-line.
But here the control of the United
States over navigable waters stepped in
and government consent had to be OBJ
tanned before any such structure could be
Quilt. A bill permitting the erection Of
pier passed both houses Of Congress,
but was vetoed by President Cleveland,
who took the broad view that the in
terests OF navigation in the magnificent
roadstead of the North river were too
important to be sacrificed if it were pos
sihe TO avoid 1t.
Here were two questions to be set
tled-one of expediency as to the pier
bridge; the other as to the engineering
possibility of building the bridge without
pier. The bridge company secured the
passage of a bill providing for an expert
commission to decide the first question.
The War Department, for its own in
formation and to settle the other question
definitely from a scientific standpoint,
appointed a second commission.
COSTS OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES.
The estimates Of cost of the three types
of bridges were as follows:
2,OOQ-FEET CLEAR-SPAN CAN'T
LEVER.
East anchorage ...........-s.s...S sSl'VVv
East pier ........."....'...''.'... o'aof'Wv
West pier ..............'~..-..'.... 9'iIV'vu
West anchorage ...........'...'.''' i'Voo'Wv
10000 O0O pounds steel at 1-2c... 10. 500. 900
Total ................ ..........S25, 443, 900
800 FEET CLEAR SPAN CAN'T
LEVER.
East anchorage ...s~......S $4,000
East pier E. .........-.."s..... S,e6O00O
West pier .......-..................s c,ooO,OVO
West anchorage .................... bZipO
100000 pounds steel at l-2c... 80. $4,000
Total .......... ...-....S5l, l2S 900
SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
substructure =. ...... ........... $l4, 6S4 900
100000 pounds steel at l-2c... $500
20. 500 pounds wire at Sc. ...... 6.659.0 200
Niaduct .........- .................. 1,ooO,OOO
Total ................... $50. 74S,0 900
The enormous cost OF the longer can't.