Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-07-27
OLD BRIDGE is
NOT SATISFIED
Want PiIing Removed from
River--Petition War Dept.
Special 20 the EVENING YEEa.

NS W.
Old Bridge, July 27.-In an effort
to prevent the contractors who are con.
strucing the new concrete bridge SPAN
ming the South river, at this place from
almost blocking navigation under the
bridge, the citizens of this place are up
IN arms and following a conference be-
tween the contractors and Salvatore
Thorn, of this place, and Frank Vliet,
of Spotswood, who presented a petition
or demand that the firm remove the
piling rom the water on the compile
ton of their work, no satisfaction was
gwen the committee and the matter
as now being taken to the War Depart.
ment in an effort to compel the firm to
leave the waters in as n~avigabIe condi-
ton as when they commenced the work.
Several stormy scenes have taken
place between the citizens and the con-
tractors and, as a result, a petition
signed by the leading boat owners and
users was placed in the hands of Col.
onel William T. Russell, with offices in
the Army building, New York city with
a plea to have the men pull the piling
out instead of saving them off as now
planned. Several narrow escapes from
injury has been the experience of Sal
vatore Thorn and William H. Hulit. of
Spotswood.
If the petition to Colonel Russell
does not bear the anticipated fruit, it
is the intention of the citizens to place
the matter before the officials of the
Pennsylvania railroad who,
the citizens claim, have no right to al
low the stream to become blockaded
with pilipg placed in the stream by
thpm M further action rp;I1 In 10 Lan
until word is received from the War
Department.
The following is the petition as de-
livered to Colonel Russell today:
sold Bridge, N. J.,
"July 9th, 1912.
"Colonel William It. Rossell,
Corps of Engineers, U. 8. Army,
Room 902, Army Building,
New York City, N. Y.
"Dear Strive the undersigned
citizens, tax payers, owners and users
of water craft, plying in the waters
of this village, unite in entering a Wig
orous protest against the manner in
which the contractors having the con-
struction of the new concrete bridge,
spanning the South river at this place,
plan to leave same on the completion
of their contract, which will, if fol-
lowed out, result in almost completely
closing this body of water to naviga-
ton.
CAS- the situation now stands, there
are three concrete abutments built in
the water and between these piers
there are numerous wooden piling used
in the construction of the old bridge
now to be abandoned after the new
bridge is completed. The contractors
pain to saw these piling off at low tide,
at the height of the water, instead of
pulling them completely out, as is now
convenient. Hs-uing out 9fiaAsase
| piling is delayed until TIE cement slabs
are placed in position, the pulling out
of these piling will be impossible and
the saving off of the obstruction will
be the only convenient means of their
removal, as now planned by the con
| tractors.
off the piling is sawed off it will
mean that navigation will be almost
completely closed, except to very small
boats, as the distance between the pill
ing is but six feet and i will be pos
sible only to make the passage under
the bridge against tide, at Ligh water,
and then only at a great risk to dam
age to the boat in question.
eve respectfully petition that your
department give this matter your early
attention as the contractors are near
ing the completion of a portion of the
work that will make the entire re-
moval of the piling a very difficult mat
ter
The following representative citizens
have the petition in hand and nave af-
fixed their signatures to the petition
protesting against $he blockading of
the stream at this place;
Salvatore Thorn, Augustine Cornell,
William II. Hulit, Frank Selover, vii
liam H. Sawyer, Charles Burchell, c. W.
Sporting, George II. Rusher, Jr M.
Layton Appleby, C. D. Montgomery,
Albert Appleby, G. C. Chittick, Charles
Layton, j. K. Sylvester, Harry Skill
man, Louis C. jolly, Milton B. Carpen-
ter, NJ. b. Wilson, [. NJ. Perdun, George
| w. Squire, Robert H. Benson, Benla'
min Roller, Thomas Whitloek, Els
worth Hillyer, Peter Leonard, Howard
II. Brown, George NJ. Dobson, John w.
Squire, Leland DeLoach, j. II. Clayton.