The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-29
NEW BRIDGE SCHEME
Ex-Governor Wearts Tells
About the New Project
to Span the Hud-
son.
DOES NOT THINK IT WILL SUCCEED
The Promoters Were Once Con.
nected With the New York
and New Jersey Com
pany.
DOES NOT THINK IL WILL SUCCEED

A bill has been introduced into Congress
incorporating the National Hudson River
Bridge Company for the purpose of con-
structing a bridge over the Hudson River,
between New York and New Jersey.
There is d provision in the bill to regu-
late commerce and military and post
road, as well as build and maintain the
bridge.
Only three names appear in the bill,
Frank H. Lord, who is in the insurance
business at No. 160 Broadway; Ralph T.
Rokeby, with the Litho-Carbon Rubber
Company, No. l Broadway and Gustave
c. Henry, treasurer of r. Dunlap & Co.,
of No. $50 Fifth avenue, according to a
statement in the New York Sun The
two last named were formerly associated
with the New York and New Jersey
Bridge Company of New Jersey, which
was Incorporated in 1891, to act in Ncon-~I
junction with a company of the same
name that had been Incorporated in New
York in 1890. At the election of directors
of the New Jersey company last July the
old board was almost completely replaced
by men with quite different ideas about
what the policy of the company should
be, and a radical change in methods fol-
lowed. Messrs. Clarke and Culver of No.
50 Broadway ceased to be the counsel
of the company. A number of men who
had been prominent in the company be-
fore these changes were made are UNDER
stood to be interested in a syndicate of
about twelve men that is back of the
biK introduced into Congress. r. Floyd
Clark, who drafted the bill, is counsel for
the syndicate, but refuses to talk about
it or it's objects.
AS there is no general United States
corporation law, the bill details in full the
powers of the corporation which it rec
ognizes, as we'll as certain directions for
procedure in the actual planning, erec-
ton and maintenance of the bridge. The
company, it is provided, shall file an ac-
ceptance of the terms of the bill with the
Secretary of War within one year from
its passage, and shall submit, for his ex-
animation and approval, drawings show
ing the general plan and location of the
bridge its approaches and connections,
within three years from the passage of
the bill. when and as soon as these
have been accepted, the company is to
submit to the Secretary of War, with
all due diligence detailed plans. The
construction of the bridge is to be begun
within a year from the time the detailed
plans are approved, and is to be COM
| pleted within ten years. The franchise
becomes void if these time conditions are
not complied with.
| There is no reference to local authori-
ties in the bill, as it is intended that any
| objections to the plans shall be presented
| to the Secretary of War.
E,y-Governor Caorea 'IVarts who iC
vice president and counsel of the New
| York and New Jersey Bridge Company
of New Jersey in speaking of the above
| this morning said
"The New York and New Jersey Bridge
| Company was Incorporated by the New
| Jersey Legislature in 1868. The act of in
corporation provided that the act should
not take effect until a similar bill had
| been passed by the Legislature of New
/ York. In 1890 the New York LegiSla ture
passed such a bill Incorporating a bridge
! company in that State, whereupon the
! two companies entered into contract to
/ Jointly construct and operate the bridge
| as a single enterprise.
s'Then in 1882 Congress passed an act
| authorizing these two companies to build
their bridge over the Hudson. That bill
| authorized piers in the river, and for
| that reason it was vetoed by President
/ Cleveland. In 1891 another act was pass
! ed by Congress authorizing the two COM
|
| bridge of a single span of $500 feet,
| which is about four times as big a span
as the brooklyn Bridge. All this legisla-
! ton wasNmade necessary because the pro-
posed bridge is an interstate structure
| over a navigable river. The act of Con-
! gress requires that the approval of the
| Sinking Fund Commissioners of New
| York City shall be obtained as to the To-
/ cation of the bridge the anchorage, ap-
| proaches, etc, in that city. All OF this
has been obtained. The act OF Congress
/ n q af 10
/ Secretary of War shall also be obtained
as to the plan and specifications of the
| bridge, its location, etc., which has also
| been obtained, except as to the approval
| of plans and specifications yet to be filed,
| made necessary by the recent extension
! of the pier head lines further into the
/ bridge about 400 feet These latter plans
! have not yet been filed but are in course
of preparation
4 that after all the plans and specifications
| and detailed drawings have been approved
! by the Secretary of War. work shall be
| commenced on the bridge and certain
amount expended thereon within limited
/ time This time limit does not begin to
/ run until these latter plans are approved
/ by the Secretary of War Thls has been
| eynlicitly decided by the War Departs
ment and is no doubt the plain meaning
| of the law.
"a contract has been made between the
| two bridge companies and the Union
| Bridge Company of New York for the
actual construction of the bridge, and
| work is delayed only pending the prepara-
| ton and submission to and approval
/ by the Secretary of War of the latter
4 plans above mentioned To bring the
| affairs of the bridge to their present
/ status has cost vast amount of money
| and an incalculable amount of time labor
and thought. All this legislation referred
/ to is still subsisting and operative and
! under it the two bridge companies have
/ ample power and authority to build the
4 structure. There are no legal obstacles
1 whatever in its way
s.As to the bill lately introduced into
i Congress ITO incorporate the National
Hudson River Bridge Company, that bill
! is simply schemesof a few disgruntled
! Stockholders of the New Jersey CompanN.
| These gentlemen, or some of them, lately
held official positions in the New Jersey
i company and were superseded for salts
i factory reasons. Their interests in4the
4 enterprise was comparatively small. The
4 bill I Iapprehend, is not introduced in good
i faith. or with any hopes of it's passage.
4 1t is merely a device of these dissatisfied
I persons to annoy the present manage
i inent and possibly discredit it's enterprise.
Il can't conceive it possible that Con-
press when the present companies are
! 3bout to realize the fruition of all their
labors and outlays, will permit them to
be yictfmized or embarrassed by the pas
/ sage Of the pending BILL
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