The times., 1901-05-15
TO BRIDGE NORTH RIVER.
Rumor That Great Structure
VIII he Built soon.

III
An entrance by rail into New York
City proper is the advantage which it
is said is to be held out 10 Southern rail-
roads by great bridge across the North
River. II present plans are carried out
$50 Oo0,00o will be spent within a couple
of years by the North River Bridge Com
pany, and the result Of the expenditure
will be the largest and strongest bridge
ever built. The scheme is as yet only
in an initial stage. and even the promo
ters do not know what size their struc-
ture viii be. The first requirement is a
fifteen track bridge. OF such strength
that heavy passenger trains can be run
over it at fun speed. if necessary.
The project, it is claimed. will mean
much to New York. and to railroads IN
general, but it means most to railroads
running to the commercial centre from
the South, which have heretofore been
blocked right at the door of their mar
ket by a treacherous sheet of water that
made schedules of passenger trains unre-
liable and freight rates exorbitant be-
cause it meant the transfer of goods from
train to boat, ana a second time from
boat to dray.
1t was stated yesterday by a prominent
railroad man in Washington. who is thor
u
tion between Washington and points
South and New York that handling of
freight in Jersey City or Hoboken would
cost 10 cents, while to deliver the same on
the New York side would cost 40 cents.
Freight terminal facilities in New York
/ city itself are sure to develop from the
proposed bridge, though as at present
projected. it IS intended primarily for
passenger traffic.
The great bridge being built by the
North River Bridge Company is to be
partially controlled, It is rumored, by the
| Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Samuel
Rea Fourth Vice President of the Penn
sylvana Railroad, has given out an au-
thoritative statement that the railroad
with which lie is connected has endorsed
the scheme. The fact that there is a
connection between the North River
Bridge Company and the Pennsylvania
Railroad becomes evident when the fact
that Samuel Rea is one of the directors
of the bridge company is known.
The North River Bridge Company is
building, according to the latest informa-
| tiOn, a terminal bridge, to be operated as
a terminal company's property. indepen-
dent of any railroad. Railroads desiring
entrance into Manhattan Island can OBJ
tam IT, bS 4EetS4lie NIdChdEt OF+E LtlG Gbtl-
pany's bridge. This practically means an
open and uncontested door into the mar
kets of New York, free to all who can
pay the terminal charges. It is under
stood that, counting per cent as rea-
sonable dividend upon the Sso,00O,O00 TO be
invested, the terminal rent for each road
viii be about 81 ,9G0 600 annually
The Pennsylvania road has, it is said,
avowed its intention OF leasing trackage,
and it is stated, also, he Baltimore and
Ohio. the Erie, and the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western have decided to
follow suit.
At the Offices of the PENNSYLVANIA and
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroads in this
city today, it was not possible to obtain
any authenticatiou of the proposed in
teutlon to lease trackaSe on the proposed
bridge, All officials agreed, however. that
the bridge would prove q benefit to South
ern railroads in gaining an entrance to
New York, which the Hudson ard the
New Haven Line now have from the
North
1T viii be a beneficial thing. said c.
4. Crawford. the general agent of the
Pennsylvania. but 1 cannot tell you any
thing about the facts Of the case. / know
nothing but what | see in the press de
spatches. Great advantages accrue to the
South from such an ngeuent.
;. =. Hege, Of the Baltimore and Ohio,
while denying any authoritative knOwl-
edge of the proposed structure, or OF any
intention on the part or TIE Ba itfuIOre and
Ohio to lease trdckage over il, declared
in its favor. The ferry system has al
ways been a troublesome FACTOR in our
passenger RsTvice, Mr. Hege said. 1t
is ali right in fair weftneI. and ] do not
suppose that even with q bridge we could
get across the North River in much less
time than twelve minutes. which is the
schedule time now But on rough or
fossy days. or during the winter when
there is much ice, the Interference to
traffic is considerable. and people are put
10 much inconvenience ard loss of time
The trouble of transferring luggage, par
ticularly hand baggage, from the train to
the boat. and from the boat to the hack. is
a great consideration, and doing away with
it would add considerably 10 the comfort
Of passengers. We worked the whole
thing out when we had the ferryboat in
Baltimore, and finally abandoned it for
the tunnel. We appreciate the steadiuess
of schedule which it gives Us.
LAS To the lines that will lease track
age, still understanding that / know moth
ing authoritative. it seems to me that
every Southern line that can DO 50 Will
try TO get over the bri3ge. The advan-
tagcs are so evident, and the help TO
Southern traffic so great, that everyone
viii, am sure, try to take advantage Of
them"