Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1904-12-16
Decision Reached After Hot Argument at the
Packer House After Dinner Yesterday After
noon--AIdermen to Consider the Matter and
4 May Take Some Action at the Meeting Mon
day Night--FinaI Inspection Of the Bridge.
A WARM SCENE

The outcome of the final confer.
ence Of the Board of Freeh olders al
the Packer House, which lasted until
late yesterday afternoon, was the
passage of a proposition to offer to ex-
tend the bridge three hundred feet in.
land two-thirds of the distance from
the shore line to the tracks of the
North Shore railroad. This proposition
will he submitted TO the Board of AL
derfnAh at their regular meeting Mon
day night.
This conclusion was only reached
by tlIe Sfreeholders after warm and
ex5itinR session in the Packer House
parlotss A number of the members
maintained that the county should
build no more than one-half the dis
t4ncetfrom the end of the bridge to
the railroad tracks. Four of the six
local freeholders stood out for a pro-
position more favorable to the city.
The arguments were sharp and to the
,r6fnf.sS nnEfngc the course of the dis.
: uIsssfpn5 Freeliolder Haney had a
pointed verbal tilt with Freeholder
DefIart At the end of the debate,
when the vote was taken, it stood lG
to q, in favor of submitting the above
proposition to the city.
Those who voted yen we're: Messrs
Fountain, DeHart, Cox, Johansen,
Kroeger, Bennett, Vandeburgh,
Rusher, Welsh, staats, O'Neill,
Cauley, Dunigan, Manning, jackson
isnd Tappen. Nays, Messrs. Allgair,
Clinton, Haney, Glenn, Draper, Jen-
sen aud FELTON,.
When tile county board first went
into session, following the dinner ten
dered to the combined boards, at the
Packer House, by Superintendent EW.
]. Lanslsy, Of the Hudson & Middle.
sex Telephone Company, they recon
sidered their final decision of the
morning conference.
The freeholders also decided to hire
an expert engineer to go over the
bridge, making soundings and ex-
amining tile pilings and construction.
No one was named, but Director
Fountain told News reporter after
wards that his choice is James Owens,
Of Montclair, municipal engineer of
high ability.
The hoard will make final inspec-
tibn of the structure on December 81,
aud viii probably accept the bridge at
their January meeting.
Following the session at the Packer
House, few members of the county
board, accompanied by Supt. John
Brauley. of the New Jersey Bridge
company, which erected the draw,
went to the. local end Of the bridge.
The site of the approach was looked
ever, and then the party climbed the
high and slippery ladder on the end
Of the bridge.
They walked out to The draw, which
Was swung closed for them TO board
The huge affair, built upon a most
solid center pier, is 800 feet long.
1t an be turned either way, and only
takes one minute to turn. The engine
is in small. house. at the top of the
framework of the dyaw. With the
officials aboard, the draw was turned
both ways. It was very favorably
commented upon. It was noticed that
there. is q large quantity of ice in the
river now. To walk on the bridge
gives cneSa secure feeling in regard to
its flrmness, and the opinion was
generally voiced that the structure
could not be built again for the same
price, $3.50, ,OOO. Some of the party
walked all tho way over to sayreville
on the bridge.
Those present at the morning session
we're all but one of the freeholders;