The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-30
Street Structure
COrrOded With Fumes
From Balbach's.
BAD CONDITIONS FOUND
Freeholders Of Hudson and Essex
Counties Startled by Discov-
cries Made During Tour of
Inspection Sc Expensive
Work to Restore 1t.

During a thorough inspection of the
comparatively new Jackson street
bridge across the Passaic River. made
yesterday afternoon by the joint cam-
mittee on north bridges of the Hudson
and Essex County Freeholders, the
startling fact was revealed that a large
appropriation must be Immediately
available to save that structure from
serious and permanent injury that
threatens to endanger the safety of the
structure. Corrosion of the edges at
points of the metal work in every por-
ton of the bridge has apparently been
going on for several years.
In many places the heavy sheet iron
ornamental cornice on the outer edge
of the bridge floor has been entirely
eaten away, so that but little of 1t Is
left.
The corrosion, according to the
ty engineers, is due to the heavy fumes
of sulphurous acid gas arising from the
Balbach Smelling and Refining Compa-
ny's plant, which adjoins the bridge
approach on the Newark side. The
acids carried out of the shops lodges
on the bridge and corrodes h metal.
The inspection of all three of the
Passaic bridges was made on the gaso-
line launch Bessie. The journey began
at the Bridge street bridge, where
Lawrence A. Reilly. chairman of the
Joint committee; Freeholders Frank E.
Ward, Emmett Quinn, Joseph Kinney
and County Engineer G.. F. Drum. of
7caAx CNffnfU and SInarU1G0r ILL.,
lam O'Hare, Freeholders John Nurge.
Anton Dite, Henry Higgins and County
Engineer Fred Dashe held a prelimi-
nary conference in the committee room
on thissside of the river.
The inspection of the Bridge street
bridge revealed the fact that the
planking of the. approaches on either
side is much in need of repair. The
s~ubstructure was found to be unstable
and shaky, and the supports on the
underside of the roadway platform are
worn and roting.
While the investigation was going on
the Freeholders learned that n OF
the heavy lever shoes, used to lock
the bridge in place when 1t closes, had
been broken ten days e. and fallen
into the river between the stonework
and the wooden cribwork forming the
slideway for passing vessels. W
Meeker, a longshoreman, was founo
busy using a temporary wooden shoe
which he forced into place by hand
each time after the draw closed. The
same man had volunteered to dive into
the river, and after three days had re-
covered the heavy piece of metal.
From the Bridge street bridge the party
- H.. -4-~Ak wuhAHn Tho WORN
in process was gone over. County En-
gineer Dashe, who has charge of the
work for Hudson County, explained tc
the Freeholders that the work was now
so far advanced the steel and iron plating
could be put in place as soon as received
He gave it as his opinion that he work
could be finished by December 1.
Arriving at the jackson street bridge
the Bessie tied up at one of the centre
abutments and the party assembled to the
bridge platform b. the permanent ladders
The startling condition of the bridge was
apparent before the platform was reached
Under the floor of the bridge each seam
in the ironwork was a long line of rusty
and faky metal. The paint used to pre-
serve the metal had about entirely dis
appeared. On the bottom of the guard
rail running each side of the sidewalks
on the bridge the heavy sheet-iron section
/ forming It's 1naIe Huu ulSuppe8A SO, bOAe
eaten almost entirely away.
Tit W engineers of the party of Free
holders crawled beneath the drawbridgS
and the floor of the permanent structure
and in every direction, as far as the eye
could reach, long lines of rust and 1akS
spears of disintegrated iron were discern
able. The paint used when the bridge wal
last repaired was found to be ox.dized ant
cracking off.
.nr, - .1..5. for 4hfv oonditi0u >
remarked County Engineer Drum, lis Il
use the sandblast on the entire structure
and then repaint 1t"
This opinion was promptly Endorsed by
Engineer Dashe.
The cost of this treatment was inquired
into by some of the Freeholders, and Mr.
Drum declared it would practically double
the cost of painting.
but 1t must be done" he added, II
we want to save this bridge"
The Inadequate size of the gate tenders
houses on either side of the bridge ant
the cracked condition of the sidewalk wal
carefully considered, the F~reeholder'
favoring repairs to the concrete walk tina
will prevent the collection of pools o
water in rain storms,
1t was stated that the hundreds of girl
employed in the mills in Harrison had com
planned of these water pools for a lonI
| Illut. Ing COlllniltCt uCNlOCo ~ ACOOhA
mend that a surface crown that will she
the water be placed on top of the presen
walk.
The dwelling in Passaic avenue purchases
at the time the approach was secured b.
4 the county and which is now the propert,
of the county, was found to be in a yer
dilapidated condition. The committee ha
, a local plumber go through the dwelling
/, and he reported the need Of immediate re
pairs to the water and plumbing system.
In view of the fact that the Board o
Health mas complained Of the premise
and that the county will have to go I
considerable expense to put 1t in repair
was decided to recommend that the build
4 ing be demolished.
The party next visited the Plank roa
bridge, there Supervisor Otterbein ioine
e his colleagues. The bridge was found |
good condition only nominal repairs bein
required. Long after six o'clock tn
r party left for the Hackensack bridge.