The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-04-12

about the same, say $17, 500. If however
the extra length is supplied it would cost
considerably more. The end rest piers
of the present structure are also in bad
shape, partly gone and partly out of
place. and it would cost at least 81 900 to
put them in proper condition for travel,
and this expense is also immediate.
The width of the draw for wagon
travel, twenty-three feet, is also a point
of great moment, and whether the com
munities would finally be satisfied with
a width so restricted for a through route
as this is, I am somewhat in doubt"
The committees report of the results
of the recent conference with the Essex
representatives was as follows:
Your committee on South Bridges desig-
mated to meet the Committee of the Board
of Chosen Freeholders of the County of
Essex, touching the duties and respon-
sibilities of the several boards on the
bridges on the Plank Road over the Hack
ensack and Passaic Rivers begs leave to
report as follows:-
First-That your committee met COM
mittee of the Essex Board at the office of
John Griffin, your council, in Jersey City,
and discussed the various phases of the
situation, and it was there resolved that
Messrs. Mum and Griffin, the counsel of
the respective boards confer with the
Plank Road Company officials touching
their purpose and their right in said
roads, bridges and property. That at said
meeting the Essex committee kindly
volunteered to have it's engineer, Mr..
/ Owens, make an examination into the
condition of the bridge over the Passaie
River and report to you as wen as to mis-
| own board his findings.
Seeond-That pursuant to their ap-
pointment Messrs. Mum and Griffin con-
ferred with the officials of the Plank
Road Company and were met at the
threshold with an offer which, for the
time being, made it unnecessary 10 inquire
further into the rights of said Plank Road
| Company in the bridges and roads.
To go into details touching the property
rights of the Plank Road Company in this
/ property may not necessarily lead to dis
putes which possibly may not necessarily
arise if the matter is adjusted along the
| lines suggested.
1 The situation as far as it affects this
! Board is as follows:-
First-As to the bridge over the Pas
! sac River.
The old draw. we believe. is in a dilapi-
dated condition and the Plank Road Com
( pany had arranged to substitute steel
draw 60 feet long, being the length OF the
present draw; agitation on the question
caused the War Department to ordain
! that the new bridge at this point sould
! be 50 feet long, and the Plank Road Cora
/ pany is now engaged in having this bridge
heightened so as TO be so feet long, in corn
! pliance with the regulations of the War
1 Department. This bride we are inform
/ ed will probably be ready to place in posi-
| tion Within two or three weeks.
ed As to the bridge over the Haeken-
( sack River:
"A like draw was ordered by the Plank
Road Company for the Hackensack River.
4 This draw was likewise hmrmhmrmnm
This draw must likewise be heightened
under the regulations of the War Depart
ment and placed at a different point in tie
bridge, the channel having changed.
sd. BY Chapter 135 of the Laws of 1901,
| it was attempted to place the burden of
the maintenance of the road in kearny
4 between the two bridges, on your Board !;
but we are advised by counsel that the
legislative design was not made effective
by reason of the fact that the act is made
to apply to q road similarly situated as
/ the Plank Road where it does not con-
meet with another road in the township,
and as this plank road is connected with a
road in Kearny, it VIII be perceived that
the act either can have no application 70
this particular road, or its application is
doubtful.
.s4th BY Chapter 1856 of the Laws of 1861
the Legislature attempted to impose,
where the charter of plank road COM
panies have expired or hereafter expires,
the duty OF maintaing bridges within the
body OF the county owned by said PLANK
road companies, on the county; and
ing line between counties. the burden is
placed in the counties equally.
The act also provides for the acquisi-
tion of any rights of such defunct plank
road company in its bridges and other
property by condemnation or purchase.
1t also provides for the joint building,
rebuilding and repairing of such bridges,
If the same shall be used by any street
railway company, the sum to be borne
by each county and such railroad COM
pany to be fixed by agreement, and If the
parties cannot agree, Jurisdiction is given
to the Court of Chancery to fix the shares
to be borne by each.
The offer made by the Plank Road
Company officials although not in writ
ing. is substantially as follows:--
1st. They viii put in position, ready
for operation ON both bridges. in con-
forr1ity to the regulations OF the War
s Department, the two new steel draws,
which, they say, cost $4,000 without ex-