The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-30
new HARRISON BRIDGE
Work on the Approaches Pro-
crosses After Long
Delay

After long delay, work is now progress
ing rapidly or the new jackson street APP
proach to the new bridge over the Pas
sale river from Fourth street, Harrison,
to Newark. Though the structure wss
formally opened on Washington's birth
day-two months ago-with a big celebra-
ton, brass bands, parade, banquet and all
that sort of thing, only foot travel has
since been possible on the bridge. On the
day of the celebration the Harrison fire
department vehicles came over the bridge
and went back again, the jackson street
approach, which had already been dug
out and was awaiting d concrete filling
and the brick pavement. having been tenn
| porally filed in by Contractor NJ. T. Con-
molly with ashes at the request of En-
gineer S. d. Reynolds and without
charge. A few light carriages were also
permitted TO cross at that time and then
all wagon traffic was stopped.
That the bridge is complete and yet
practically useless for the purposes which
after long agitations led to its construc-
ton, has recently led to many complaints
from manufacturers and other team and
horse users in the eastern section of the
city. Few men We're employed on the work
at fhe approach to the main bridge, they
said, and the work was going on slowly,
Their statements caused the matter to
be inquired into last week by the Sunday
Call. The work is being lone by the
Board of Freeholders, under the direc-
ton of the Board of Works. NJ. T. ON
molly, of Jersey City, has the paving con-
tract and the stone work on the approach
south of the iron viaduct portion was done
| by f. c. O'Reilly, OF Orange The entire
approach would have been completed last
fall in accordance with the time speciica-
ton of the contract and ready for use
when the bridge was formally opened but
for a restraining injunction. 1t was got
ten out by Jackson street property own
ers, who wanted damages for the taking
of a portion of that t~horoughfare for the
approach. This stopped all the work south
of the county line until cold weather had
come on and when the matter was dis
I posed of it was decided TO await the de-
| parture of frost before attempting the
paving and stone work. 1t was Begun
several weeks ago, after the removal of
the temporary bed of ashes, but, says En-
gineer Reynolds, the contractors were
awry on their weather calculations, for
after the four inch concrete bed had been
laid for the pavement, a whole section of
it froze and only a few days ago had TO be-
taken out and replaced with a new lot
Besides, the cement on the stonework had
frozen and for that reason much of It
had to be removed. Not only was further
delay thus occasioned, but it is said that
the contractors have actually lost money
on the work. he stoneWork was finally
completed in good shape, however, the
concrete bed of 1900 squar yards laid
and on top of this was placed a cushion
of sand an inch and a half deep. The con-
crete hardened and on Thursday every
thing was in shape for the laying of the
brick roadway. This was begun at nine
o'clock in the morning and by quitting
time yesterday afternoon nearly all of
the work was done. When the bricks
have all been laid they will be rolled by
a ivelton steam roller, defective bricks
will be removed and then the c~revices
will be sealed with a mixture Of the best
Portland and Belgium cement The fn-
ishing touches. it is expected by Engineer
Reynolds, Inspector Ripper and others in
charge of the work, will be put on and
the bridge thorwn open for general traf-
fc not later than May l or 2.
.sWe could have left the frozen concrete
in and done other things to hurry the job
along" said Engineer Reynolds, 's5ut the
job would not have been a good one and
repairs needed would probably have been
the result in a few weeks. AS it is, the
job will be the best in the city. Yes, I
think the brick pavement VIII be better
than granite block, even If there is par
ticularly heavy traffic over the app
proach."
Pending the completion of the Newark
approach the Harrisog approach In South
Fourth street has n0t been entirely hn-
ished. There is about a days work on it
which will be begun in time to have both
approaches ready for use at the same
time. Over thirty men were at work on
the qaving and othe partitions of the
Jackson street approach on Thursday.
The same force. with perhaps some in
crease, will be kept at work until ths
whole thing is finished.