New-York tribune., 1909-06-12
INSPECT BRIDGE SITES
Governors Hughes and Fort Scan
the Shores of the Hudson.

Four possible sites for a bridge across the HUI
River were inspected by Governor Hughes OF
New York and Governor Fort of New Jersey yes
terday from aboard R. A. c. Smiths yacht the
Prvateer. 1t the first time in history Una.
the Governor of New York and the Governor OF
New Jersey ever sailed up the Hudson tosethei'
according TO Frederick p. Flanagan. secretary Oh
the New York and New Jersey Interstate Bridse
Commission.
The first site 10 be viewed was that at 57th street
Manhattan. This is looked upon as an ideal ste
The New York outlet would he at Columbus Cfcie
and the New Jersey terminus between flH 'i,
10th streets. West New York, which is IN f1uoS'"
County. not very far from the Bergen County hhe'
To construct a bridge between these points II Is
estimated, would cost between S25e0'Vo ana S'''
600o0, and the span would be about 5'2W lee'' d
the War Department will allow no plerS ]" "
river this point. This is the site most id''
by the bridge commissioners, and the Two gov
errors it is said in the course OF their ihlo'i'''
conversation agreed that, in spite Of the fac' '"a'
a cheaper site could be procured fuIther uP''""'
this was easily worth the difference IN cost
A bridge at this point would also tap Long Ac'e
Square and Lincoln Square. and provide a diTe'N
line of transit to Long Island by way of the ne"
greensboro Bridge OF course there IS a coiip'rS
in existence which has the right 10 bridge the Hu'-
son and has selected the 57th street site but us
charter expires this year. and the commissioners
anticipate no annoyance from this source
The next site inspected that at lloth street
the New York outlet Of which would De AT '!le
"a atbedra1 Parkway and the New Jersey end az the
dividing line between Hudson and Bergen couhues.
MANY residents of the latter county iaVor
this site but there is much opposition 10 u from
persons living east Of Morningside Park Manhat-
tan owing 10 what they say would be the mac
cessfbflitv of it's approach. There has also been
some opposition from people in the neighborhood or
Columbia University. The estimated cost OF Il
bridge al this site is about S17 0O0o and IT has the
further advantage that the War Department VIII
allow a pier in the river this point, about nine
hundred feet from the Jersey shore and the largest
span would not be more than seventeen hundred
feet
Tho t25th street site which next looked over.
is p compromise site proposed by the Harlem Board
of Trade hut the commissioners, II is said' nave
not considered It seriously bridge here would
be more costly than 1Ioth street. the amount
that would have to be expesled being estimated at
S2nnO0Gcr.
The last New York site viewed by the Governors
was that nj 17qth street the New York approach OF
which would he In Fort Washington avenue. close
to the Arrowhead Inn the Jersey terminus being
in Covtesvfle This the cheapest site Of all the
estimated cost of a bridge at this point oeing
about s0oO0Oy0 However. it is not seriously con
sidercd by any of the New Jersey members OF ne
commission as its terminus their side Of the
two states that it would he Of little benefit to their
state.
both Governor Hughes and Governor F"rf eK-
pressed themselves IN formal statement 10 the
nevysuaper men as heartily in favor Of the project
for bridge across the Hudson but would not say
which 81 the sites they favored