The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-06
THE HUDSON RIVER BRIDGE.
Legislative Relief Sought Through
senator Raines' Measure.


NEW YORK, April 5-The bill intro
duced in the Senate by Senator Raines
and known as the Raines Bridge bill has
for its nominal object the Improvement
of commerce at the port of New York
Its real object is to enable the New York
and New Jersey Bridge Company, Of
which Gen. James S. Garrison is presi-
dent. to begin the construction of a bridge
across the Hudson River from that part
of New Jersey known as West New York
to the foot of West Fifty-ninth Street
Manhattan.
The bridge company has acquired prop
erty for its New Jersey and New York
approaches. 1t has also acquired all
rights of way for its passenger business
What it has been trying to get from the
city authorities is u right of way for its
freight traffic
According to amended plans the bridge
will be what is known as double decked
viaduct On the lower deck full gauge
railroad will be built, over which regular
steam. freight and passenger trains Will
run. The upper deck will be used for a
trolley line. bicycles. and wagon traffic,
and accommodation will be made for foot
passengers.
From the foot of Fifty-ninth Street an
elevated railroad structure will be built
to West Fifty-second Street. AT that
point the road will cross Eleventh Ave-
nue. and run along between Fiftieth and
Fifty-first Streets to Ninth Avenue,
where 1t will run through a union station
and on to Broadway. where passengers
will be discharged.
Rights and privileges for constructing
the elevated railroad structure and the
union station have already been acquired,
the idea bling to run trains from all rail-
roads with Eastern terminals in Jersey
City, Weehawken, and Hoboken over the
bridge to New York.
But besides this the bridge company
wishes to have facilities for taking care
OF its freight business, and to that end 1t
purposes to construct a steel viaduct
from the foot of Fifty-ninth Street south
along fhe marginal street or wharf west
of West Street to the Battery.
II Is the purpose of the bridge company.
If it can acquire the necessary rights and
privileges, so to construct its steel VIA
duct to the Battery that when 1t reaches
West Street it's easterly line will be five
feet west of the west line of West Street.
OF course. if such viaduct was construct
ed 1t is easy to see that the advantages
accruing to New York commerce might
be much greater than the loss of such
parts of the marginal street to the pub
lie as would be taken up by the supports
of the structure.
So far as anybody knows the only per-
sons opposed to the bridge company's pro-
ject are some of the city officials. A year
or two ago a committee reported to the
Sinking Fund Commission that a proper
return to the city for the rights and privi-
leges asked for would be per cent for
the first five years, per cent for the sec
ond five years. and per cent thereafter.
The company said that 1t was willing to
accept the suggestion made in the report,
but Since then the Sinking Fund Com
mission has held the matter up. and be-
cause nothing could be obtained from that
commission the company sought relief
from the Legislature.