Evening star., 1909-06-23
MEMORIAL TO HUDSON
Concrete Bridge Over Spuyten
DuyviI Creek.
GREATEST OF ITS KIND
Largest Structure Ever Attempted
in Material Proposed.
SOME OPPOSITION DEVELOPED
Pathways Across the East River.
Attempts to Connect New York
and New Jersey.
SOME OPPOSITION DEVELOPED
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
NEW YORK. June % 1909.
The permanent memorial. the tricenten-
NAL tribute of the citizens of New York
in honor of Hendrix Hudson will be a
monumental bridge on the east bank of
the river which bears his name. 1t is
to cross Spuyten Duyvil creek. which sep
arates Manhattan Island from the main
land to the north. and will form a part
of the elaborate boulevard and park sys-
tenn on the banks of the Hudson, as an
extension of the Riverside drive, to the
city of Yonkers.
| The channel of the creek at the pro-
posed crossing runs at the bottom of a
gorge between $50 and GOO feet wide be-
tween hills to the north and south. at
an average depth Of $50 feet. The hills
on both sides are nobly wooded and COM
| mand an impressive view of the Hudson
river, and the proposed bridge. which
will be monumental in character. will
furnish a conspicuous finish to what is
otherwise an incomplete. although pic
turesque scene.
Yonkers. on the north side of the creek.
can now be reached by the New York
Central railway. which crosses the Spuy-
ten Duyvil upon a swinging bridge, and
by a subway with electric cars which
pass under it and emerge from their
long journey through the tunnel from
the Battery at the lower end of New
York. a short distance beyond. The
new bridge will furnish crossing for
a third line of transportation between
the city and it's northern suburbs, be-
sides being a memorial and an object of
ma jestic beauty.
spuyten Duyvil creek has been dredged
out until it is navigable for steamers
Of low draft. and great deal of freight
passes through it on barges into the
Harlem river. which completes the con-
nection between East river and the Hud-
son. Excursion steamers make daily
trips around Manhattan Island through
this channel, giving strangers an oppor-
| tunity to see the docks and shipping
The object of the bridge, which is to
remind thoughtful people of the bold
navigator who discovered the Hudson;
| the majestic character of the design and
| which. has more than twice the length
| of any other masonry arch ever con-
structed. all contribute to give it ma
| tional interest.
Steel Bridge Proposed.
In 1901, when Mr.. Eben Erskine Olcott,
president of the Albany Day Line of
Steamers, gave dinner at the Univer-
sity Club to forty-six Of the principal cit
-
inaugurating a Hudson memorial move
bridge-an arch of 400 feet span and 115
feet high-which had been sketched by
Mr.. A. T. Boiler of the engineering firm
OF Boiler & Hodge, and 1t was very much
admired. The central arch was followed
on either side by three 1O0-foot arches,
carrying a driveway so feet wide, with
ornamental balustraces and imposing col
umns. The entire length was about
$500 feet.
At this dinner an organization was per-
,fected, with Mr.. Thomas F. Fowler. pres
ident of the New York, Ontario and
Western Railroad Company, as president;
J. Pierpont Morgan and James Stillman
as vice presidents and George A. White
influence to secure the adoption of the
Boiler plan for the bridge and an ap-
propriation of S3GOO.OOO to pay the ex-
pense Several other plans had been pro-
posed, including monument to Hudson
and memorial arch. The Sons and
Daughters of the Revolution and other
patriotic societies, the Union and Con-
federate veterans and the veterans of
the Spanish war united in movement to
hold a historical exposition. Others ad-
vocated the founding of historical mu-
scum for revolutionary relics and memen-'
tOs of the civil war. But finally every
body agreed upon the bridge over the
Epuyten Duyvil creek as the most ap-
propriate and most imposing as well as
practical plan, and Mr.. Boilers design
was submitted to the art commission OF
the city Of New York. whose approval Of
the artistic side OF plans for public works
is required by law before they can be
carried out.
Concrete Bridge Substituted.
The art commission rejected the Boiler
plan on the ground that a permanent
monument such as this bridge was intend
ed to represent demanded other material
than steel, and the department of bridges
was directed to employ Mr.. Whitney War
rem, the we'll known architect, and Prof.
Thomas F. Barr of the chair of civil en-
gineering at Columbia University who
produced plan for reinforced concrete
structure consisting of main central span
of 750 feet In the clear over the river with
height of 1s3 feet, fianked with two ap-
proaches. The southern approach is to
consist of three one-hundred-foot clear
spans and the northern approach of four
e-hundred-foot clear spans. together
with stairway facilities from the hills on
either side The bridge affords fifty-foot
roadway. with two different fifteen-foot
sidewalks on it's upper deck and provision
for four tracks upon the second or lower
deck. The total length OF the structure is
to be 2s45 feet, and its cost is estimated
at So, ,SOOOOO
Borings have been made and specifica-
commission is ready to let contracts for
the foundation. The work Is in charge of
Mr.. j. w. Stevenson, commissioner Of
bridges; Mr.. c. NJ. Ingersoll. chief en-
gineer; Prof. William III. Burr, consulting
engineer: Mr.. Whitney Warren, consult
ing architect. and Mr.. Leon S. Moisseiff.
engineerin-charge.
Opposition to Concrete.
This will be the largest concrete struc-
ture ever attempted, and there is consider
expense. in the second place. because 1t is
to be an imitation of stone. and, third
because concrete work is still in an ex-
fore attempted such q stupendous crea-
tion as this. Many think that it would
be better il graceful steel structure had
been adopted. such as Mr.. Boiler designed
The advocates of the latter plan argue
that II would be a more striking il1ustra-
ton of the triumph of human engineer
ing than 4 bridge of imitation stone.
When Chief Joseph, the famous warrior
Of the Nez Perces. went to Washington
after his remarkable campaign against
Gen. Howard, many years ago. somebody
asked him what of all the things he had
seen impressed him most with the power
of civilization. He replied very promptly:
The bridge over the Mississippi river" :"
Don't you think that the Capitol at
Washington is wonderful building?' ne
was asked.
Yes; it is a wonderful building, but my
people can pile stones one upon the top
of another, yet they cannot make a cob
web of iron to hang in the sky
This was the difference between civil
ization and savagery: the difference be-
tween the limits OF modern engineering
and the physical force Of the aborigines