Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-07
PASSA|C BRIDGE
FIGHT IS HEARD
BY ARMY BOARD
City Engineer Appears Before
Members in Protest Over
Railroad Grab.

City Engineer motifs II. S1errerd ap.
peared before the engineers OF the
war department in the Army building
at SO Whitehall street in the hearing
on tho removal OF the foot bridge over
the Passaic river at Centre street.
Several members of the Board Of
Trade committee on rivers and navi-
cation, which went on record as being
in favor of having the proposed Penn
sylvania railroad bridge at that point
carry pedestrian and vehicular traffic,
were also present.
The question of the removal of the
bridge Is a~gitating not only the off,
Gals and citizens OF this city, but of
the West Hudson towns as we'll. It
means that thousands of persons who
cross the river to their work daily will
have TO take a new route. The Board
Of Trade has prepared recommended
tons to the effect that when the rail
o a puts in its new bridge, for which
Il has applied, it be so constructed
that it may be used by the general
public. The hearing today was the re-
suit of the work of the civic bodies
OF the cities on the two sides OF the
river, all OF them contending that a
move affecting SO many people should
not be made until all sides of the
question had been discussed.
George w. Tomkins, chairman of
the committee on river and navigation
interests of the local Board of Trade,
made Il report, OF which the following
Is an abstract:
THE city of Newark and other cities
along these streams recognize the Inn
p~ortance OF unimpeded water trans
portation in regulating railroad rates
and in placing them in a position of
secondary importance AS ports OF entry
at New York harbor. AS aimatter Of
fact, Newark bay and the Hackensack
and Passaic rivers, as far as they arc
navigable, constitute a subsidiary port
at New York.
I'VE recommend that the Centre
street bridge should, when rebuilt, be
designed to carry highway traffic as
we'll as railway traffic, including freight
tracks on the lower deck of the bridge
over which the Centre street freight
station car be eachcd.
That the bridge be so constructed
as to permit of eliminating the lower
cord whenever it is practicable to pro-
vide for freight handling elsewhere
than at the Centre street station, or
whenever the ~exigencies OF the river
traffic shall demand this change.
THAT the upper deck shall. IL prac-
ticable, carry a footway, driveway and
passenger tracks twenty-eight feet
above low water mark.
THAT ultimate provision for a tunnel
to take the place OF the bridge should
at least be considered.
That power and organization ade-
quate to operate the draw at all times
c1pcditiousiy should be required.
I'VE also wish to forestall any future
application by the railroad for
the partial closure or use of this bridge
In any which will prejudice
river navigation. Unless the conditions
for the use OF the river IN for the use
of the bridge shall at this time be
made mutually advantageous as far as
it is possible to do so. 1t seems certain
that the increased traffic over the
bridge will prompt the railroad com
paly IN the not distant future to make
some such application, and we should
now, while the situation Is unpre-
JUDGED, register our emphatic protest
against any such concession. Provision
for the future should be made now and
the situation left as u~ntrainmeled as
possible.
The hearing was conducted by gov
eminent engineers. Colonel William T.
Rossell and II. b. Gorham. Among
those present were Mayor Joseph p.
Riordan, OF Harrison; Board OF Works
Commissioners Arthur II. Denman,
Harry b. O'Connell and William p.
Mungle, Of Newark; r. C. Jenkinson,
James NJ. Reilly, James S. Higbie and
III. c. Courier, OF tho Newark Board
OF Trade; Alderman Clarence r. Van
Deren. OF Harrison; Captain Edward
p. Parker, OF the Masters and Pilots
Association, OF Newark; Alderman
Clarence T. Van pereii, Of Hssrison;
Harry Kreiner, Of the West Hudson
Board Of Trade; A. e.. Owen, assistant
engineer OF the Jersey Central railroad;
George w. Branch. OF the Erie rail-
road; J. o. II. Pitney and Harry r.
Kingsley, OF r. ~Baiiautine g. Sons
Brewing Company; ]. II. Abcrcrombie
OF the Clark Thread Works and City
Engineer Morris II. Sherrerd.
City Engineer Sherferd was the first
speaker. He said that with the growth
Of Newark and the towns on thu ea1t
side uspxe trsdsc facilities arc demand