Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1905-09-14
COULD SAVE
BRIDGE FROM
DESTRUCTION
A. {. Sanford on the Stand Near :
ly All Day Yesterday in
Bridge Hearing.
TELLSOF CONSTRUCTION
Fact that the Bridge WiihstOOd
Ice So Well Proves 1t
Good Structure.
Special TO the Evening News:


NEW BRUNSWICK, Sept, III
Contractor Arthur e. sandford, of
the firm of Sandford &Harris, build
ers OF the Amboy bridge, who yester-
sday offered to buy the bridge from
the county and make a toll bridge
of it, was on the witness stand near
ly all day yesterday and the lawyers
are not through with him yet. Lewyer
Voorhees,, for the prosecutor of the
writ of certiorari upon which the
testimony is being taken, will COM
plete his cross-eXamination of the
contractor Friday to which time the
hearing has been adjourned. He in
timated that the government might
not permit the bridge to be repaired
and used.
Contractor Sandford, on his direct
examination, went into details as to
the various items of expense incur
red by his firm in building this
bridge. this having been proven by
the damage done by the ice during
last winter which could be repaired
for $1,000. He thought this loss
which was but one per cent, on the
cost, showed that the bridge was
good one The contractor said he did
not pretend to be an engineer and
that all of his testimony was based
on practical experience. During his
examination Mr.. Crehore, of Eliza
beth. one of the experts for the pros
ocutor, took notes as to his testimony
and advised Lawyer Voorhees, as to
engineering points in his cross-exam-
ination of the witness.
Afternoon Session.
Upon the afternoon session being re-
sumed Mr.. Sandford took exception
to the cost of the piles and lumber
estimated by City Surveyor Luster,
of Elizabeth, who testified as an eX-
pert for the prosecutor. He said the
allowance Of $40 pile was not suf-
ficient because of the handling done
in getting them ready for driving
and that $40 a pile would come near
er to the right figure. He also said
the allowance of lumber cost was not
correct as made by Mr.. Luster. AS
for the planking on the bridge the
plan called for seventeen feet plank
ing and he had put in eighteen and
twenty feet plank making differ
ence of 10000 feet. There was also
1000 more feet in the planking for
the sidewalk and 666 feet more in
the clamps for the bents. Planed
lumber used also cost more than he
allowed.
The witness also said the experts
had not figured on enough concrete
in making their estimates. The plans
called for ,207 yards, but he allow
ed for moro than that. 'The railroad
or the county did not tell us the
amount to use" said the witness.
"The concrete in a job like that costs
a lot of money
So a Yard for Rip Rap.
what about the allowance OF $2
a yard for rip rap" asked Lawyer
Strong, referring to the figures OF
the experts for the prosecutor.
81 don't want any of it to do for
that price" said the witness. AT
least 200 yards of this rip rap was
put in by divers. | have done work
of this sort before and got So a yard
for it. We had diver there through
out the work. A diver and the rig he
wears costs $50 a day"
Some one has figured out the
cost of the draw bridge at $21,292.-
2S, what have you got to say about
that?"
II gave fellow just $4,000 for
that job" said Mr.. Sandford, land
told him he could make all he could
out of it and was welcome to it. He
came back crying at that There was
not a cent of profit in it for men,"
Mr.. Sandford was then asked as
to the construction of the three cais-
sons figured to cost $4,000 and said