The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-14
PEDuSY'S BIG BRIDGE.
The Delaware Span Ready
for the Transportation
Department.
WHY THE STRUCTURE SETTLED
Track Elevation in Newark and
Washington = President
Roberts Trip.
WHY THE STRUCTURE SETTLED

PHILADELPHIA, May IA, 1SeS-Ths
work OF erecting the new trestle on the ap>
proach to the new Delaware River Bridge
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
mas practically been completed and trafic
over this route to Atlantic City viii soon
be resumed. The bridge viii be reopened
today when President Roberts will pass
over 1t on his way to Atlantic City, where
ne will remain several days. This bridge
has been closed to travel for trains on this
side for several weeks owing to section
OF the trestling on the west approach to
the bridge having settled, requiring the
rebuilding of the trestling and the layans
of additional tracks.
When the bridge was closed the runsor
was circulated that the iron work had
settled. This is not the case, as the trou4
Bile was that portion of the road was
constructed on what is supposed to haysa
been the bed of the Delaware River art
one time. This ground was somewhat soft
and when the trestling had been erected
and the filling in finished the weight was
too much for the bed and the consequences
was that a settlement took place and the
soft earth was forced from under the
earth used for filling in. The trestle
sank far below the line of the road. AS
the weight was something enormous the
ground in the vicinity looked as if there
had been a great upheaval, the under earth
being piled up on each side of the road.
The length of the trestling that had to be
renewed was about 500 feet end extended
westward from the belt line. All the
other work is in good condition, especially
the iron part, where there has been no sstF
Ting or any deviatien from the origiaal
line.
In regard to the statement that there
was a settlement of about one foot fur-+
ther west of the approach an oficial Of
the company stated yesterday that there
was nothing in it. He dfd say that II
was the intention of the company to raise
the bed of the road another foot, but this
would not be done until all the hniug IN
had been completed The cause Tor this
change is that the railroad company wants
ed the city to depress a street about one
foot which the city would not do unless
the railroad company filed a bond of in>
demnity, which it refused 10 do, and IN
consequence the road will eventually be
raised one foot.
While the bridge has been closed for
travel the Engineering Depar tment, under
Chief Engineer Brown, has been making
a connection with the Trenton branch
as it is the intention of the company
to run a number OF excursion trains from
that point to Atlantic City and Cape
MayS This business was formerly done
by the way of Shackamaxol street ferry
to Federal street, Camden. 80 corlnec-
tion is only a temporary one, as COM
pany intends to do away with a. cc7Sa
crossing at, this point, and as soon es
provements will be made. For some.
time past plans have been prepared for
doing away with grade crossings on the
Troy ton ral1a
ton to Frankfort junction, but before.
any attempt is made to get rid of them
the city, will have to, give some assist
aIlce and wipe number of streets 1roll
the city plan.
This company has also number OF;
are those for Washington, d. c., and
Newark. N. J. At the latter place there
elevating the tracks through the city,
but up to the present time no settles
ment has been made with the city. Now
there is fair, prospect of somethingt
being done, as the city has appointed an
engineer to confer with the engineers of
the Pennsylvania and the Jersey Central
engineering feat evolved in elevating the
tracks of the city of Newark but to do
this, the Jersey Central tracks will also
have to be changed, as the tracks of
the Pennsylvania.
If the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
elevates its tracks the Jersey Central
will have to go further up in the air.
The Councils of Newark are anxious
that something shall be done in this
matter, and as their engineer has sub
mtted to them a report in regard to the
construction Of the road, it is thought
that there will be reached such an ar
rangement as will enable the railroad
companies to go ahead with the work
Before this is done, there will have to
be a. number of streets stricken from
the city plan and settlement made as
to the damages and who will be liable