New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-06
NEW EAST RIVER BRIDGE.
SOME THINGS FOR THE COMMISSION III
DO AND OTHERS FOR 1T TO AVOID.

sI-GGEsTs-TTE BARGAIN WITH THE 'hi~
MANN coMPANY-TIIE NEW STRUCTURE
SHOULD DE PLANNED FOR OK
LIBERAL SCALE.
There Is an impression in the minds OF large
number of people that in buying out the h''ha"''
Bridge Company the Commissioners or the Ne"
East River Bridge have secured something ''".
will be of value in the construction OF the proposfu
bridge and that will enable the building or IL 10 pe
got under way sooner than would otherwise De
possib.e 1t Il supposed that the bridge plans maze
by the company's engineers will. to a large extent
at least make IT unnecessary for the engineers Oh
the Commission to draw plans OF their own anu
esnecially that the consent OF the war department
TO the erection Of the company's bridge VIII opV'ate
delay in the work OF the Commission by making IL
unnecessary TO apply TO the Secretary OF war
again. ,, ~
These impressions will. in all probability, turn
out TO have basis In reality Al any rate ina.
is the opinion OF some of those who nave iooheu
into the matter most closely. The simple truth Is
that the East River Bridge Company secured from
tho LEGISLATURE the right to build bridge across
tho East River I'm the vicinity Of Broadway, BROOK
lvn and Grand-st., New-York. with the stpuia,ioh
that 1t should begin work thereon withln cer'a'
specined time. Plans for bridge were MADE. anu
the war Department consented that 1t should DE
built at the height proposed. AS for the beginning
q, work all that was ever done was merely
farce II consisted on the turning up OF fe"
shovefus OF earth in Il backyard In BROOKLYN
The company went no further
THE COMMISSION AND THE COMPANY.
This was the condition OF things when the 'oih-
mission found when It was created. one OF 'ne
provIsions of the act providing for II was that II
might acquire by purchase or condemnation '"e
propcrtv and rights OF any existing DrluSe co"'
many The frs, offer OF the Uhlmann people was
SO proposterous that the Commission felt II WOMB
be wise TO ignore the company altogether Nc
counsel of the Commission examined the s"pje0'
with care, and came TO the conclusion '"at inc
companv's charter was valid. Nevertheless nego-
tlatons with the company were broken on All"
tho commission decided to "go It alone"
Further examination however, showed mat 10
build its bridge with reasonable ecohoHy II "'"''
be necessary for the Commission to lay IL OUT III
such a way that II would cross the INES aireauy
pre-empted by the company. To be sure the 'oin-
mission could go ahead and build bridge on us
own account and had full legal authority 10 90 So
But 10 place the bridge In the most convenient place.
and TO avoid the necessity OF purchasing Some eA-
ceedngiy valuable property on the brooklyn ""'c'
front the Commission found that 1t would nave W
infringe on the rights OF tho company. Accord
inply the subject reopened-it IN FeahtS ~
was ever fairly closedand the result was an agree
mont nv tho Commission to pay the company
500 900 to eNtingulsh It's right TO buiId prluse
from the Eastern Dlstrlc, OF Brooklyn to New
York The purchase Included all the properly
plans and rights OF the company.
THE PLANS BOUGHT OF SMALL ACCOUNT
As an alternative 10 the purchase. resort might
have been taken 10 condemnation proceedings.
which would o., course have involved ii great deal
Of time and seriously delayed the beginning Oh
work on the new and much needed bridge. But,
In the opinion Of those best qualified to judge
what has been purchased Is practcaHy "or'hleSS'
They hod that the company had not In real'y lu'-
filed the conditions OF i's charter, ana, gong
further back. assert that the Legislature had no
right TO make such liberal grant. even though
the bill giving the company ia charter was passed.
in RESPONSE 20 an earnest appeal on the part ot the
! citizens ~ the eastern part OF Brooklyn
Tn. plans u ihe company. II IS declared, are OF
! no account; whatever. anl the consent II sr'"iei
from tho War Department viii be OF no Na'"e u
| the Commission when It's own plans are completed
/ However. an important obstacle has been taken
] OH, o., the nay and the Commission IL now at
liberty 10 go ahead with Its Work without any
more bother. The nrst half-year OF IT'S existence
has been haunted by he shadow OF tn" lhimahh
concern AMI the recognized necessity ot getting Il
ont o., the Nay This has now been accomplished
ana % remains ,or the Commissioners 20 Settle
down rea,lutciy 20 work and get the bridge under
way aa soon ~ possible.
t'p &, TINS mc they have held most or th'lr meet
! lngs behind closed doors While the negotiations
/ with the company were In progress L Is easy 20
7 b"pA
y.lsous f,r doing this. though occasional executive
/ sessions f. Womb appear. would have answered
D the pirpose l. IS now time for the Commission 10
consider whcthe. Il viii no, be the part % wisdom
10 throw the doors open and take the public into
It's confidence There Is strong prejudice In Inc
I popular mind TO anything that looks Ike star
7 chamber proceedings The Commission should be-
preparcl TO proceed with It's business In business
/ Ike way and Will make no mistake II 1t lets 'h'
people who are to pay FOR the bridge kno" whti
/ the men selected 10 build It are doing.
I,EssoNs FROM THE PRESENT BRIDGE.
/ Another matter to which they should give careful
! and rteadfast attention is the lessons In nridse
building and bridge running which the history OF
/ the presen: Bridge has been teaching ever since i
was begun In 1863 and especially since II was
opened to public In the spring OF 1889. The eX-
n.rience OF the TWO cities this matter ought to be
OF the greatest value to the Commissioners OF the
new bridge
In the nrst place, 1t may be pointed out that the
old Bridge is not capacious enough 10 meet the
demands made upon 1t. Now. when there IS
strong feeling that the railroad should BE- supple
mented by running trolley cars on the roadways 81
elsewhere. 1t is declared by the engineers ana
trustees there IL room FOR them. and That
will be impossible TO provide for them by lncreas-
ing the weight OF the structure to any extent
There should be no such mistake In the construction
Of the bridge. 1t should be- large enough 10
meet all demands that may be made on II In the
next nifty one hundred years
Then IL Is serious question whether in cor
nectlon with this bridge the cities should make any
attempt to run "A railroad The people who take
I this view asking whether II VIII not be the
wisesi plan provide bridge that shall be simply
] n thorOughfare-a broad street connecting the i've
cltles-and then allow It's use on reasonable con
/ ditions by all transportation companies that WISH
Ia us. It. whether eeN aed surface. There IL on,
/ elevated road running down Broadway which Is
controlled by the very people who are behind me
/ East River Bridge Company. by the agreement
made with this company there are 20 he two tracks
the new bridge for the exclusive use of elevated
railroads.
But only n small percentage Of the people travel
ling 10 the foot ~ Broadway use the elevated road
! Besides that means of transportation there are
fifteen or sixteen lines OF trolley reaching that
! point There are those who think that for the ac
commodation OF these not less than four tracks
Will be needed al the new bridge. and there seems
/ 10 be much force In what they say On the old
Bridge l2D or 1870 people are often crowded into a
: ! ..ar ,.hIn seai II nalel