The Penn's Grove record., 1914-01-09

A Fine Structure Connects Salem
and Gloucester Counties
The new steel bridge ovu 0ldmans
Greek on The river road between PeIns
Grove and Bridgeport was inspected By
tile members OF tlie Salem and Glouces-
ter County Boards OF FreeiloIaers and
several citizens on Wednesday Il
was found TO be very satisfactory aid was
declared open for travel. Jolly Jacob
tSayeuta, Of Pedricktown, was the arst to
drive a horse and wagon over and he was
followed by Freeholder VIM. M. Bark in
the first automobile to cross.
Twenty years ago a wooden 1raw-
bridge was built by Elwood Usingek who
has been Freeholder from Logan Town
ship, Gloucester County, ever since. Fhe
old bridge consisted Of a draw 81 feet
long with a clear water way OF IS feet
and an approach span 80 feet long on
the northerly end Of the draw. It had
served the purpose of travel during its
time, and had ended its usefulness under
the heavier traffic which, improved roads
under State supervision has brought
about.
The new New Bridge is a.steel draw
bridge l26 feet long resting on a concrete
centre pier % leet in diameter which
rests on 48 pilings and is Enclosed in a
cylinder shell OF steel three-eights of an
inch in thickness. The bridge is a high
truss design consisting OF rs tons Of steel
and about five tons Of Pinch heart pine
plank % feet long. the width OF the
bridge.
When the bridge is turned off for
boats to pass there is a clear waterway
As feet wide. on each side. There is an
i, approach Of 134 feet in length OH the
northerly end of the draw span and
three extra cluster Of pilings have been
driven as tenders to make the approach
much easier for boats as they come up
the creek on food tide. Most of the
damages heretofore were caused by there
not being enough piling to protect the
boats from the shore as they approached
the bridge. These extra clusters Of pill
ings are expected to lessen future dam
ages to boats as well as the bridge.
On the Gloucester county size is a fix
ed span Of steel girders "a feet long on
which is a concrete floor. On the Salem
county side new concrete butments were
made and the approach filed in and
covered With fine trap rock. with steel
railing III the sides. There are 122
| piling in she bntment wings.
The old bridge was designed to support
four tons in It's best days. This new
steel bridge is designed to support a truck
aud load weighing 40 tons.
The new bridge was erected by the
Bridgeton Construction Company. It is
a creditable piece Of work for their first
in Salem and Gloucester counties. Sam
uel Campbell is the construction mana
ger. The steel work was shaped and
fitted by Coxs, Sons & Co.. at Bridgeton,
where every piece was fitted before
leaving that city. VIM. G. Cattell, of
Wenonah, engineer of Gloucester county
was the designer and superintendent OF
construction while Freeholder Elwood
Usinger, of Bridgeport, was the Inspector.
Much credit is also due Freeholder VIM.
M. Burk, OF Oldmans, who kept a close
watch on the job and saw that the ap-
proach on the Salem county side was OF
the best. The committee of F~reeholders
in charge consisted Of Harry P. Gray, Vim.
NJ. Burk, and G. B. tanning, of Salem
county: and Elwood Usinger, jeremiah
Haines, and James Horner, OF Gloucester
county.
Engineer Cattell said that the bridge
was made according to the specifications
and erected without q misfit. The engi-
neer, contractors and inspectors worked
in most pleasant accord and believe they
have u bridge well-made to meet the
needs of travel Tor many years.
The bridge cost about $4,000. Some
extras, thought best to be made while
the work was progressing will make the
total a few hundred dollars more. Each
County pays half the bill.
The Construction Company banqueted
about seventy-five at Newton hotel in
Woodbury.. They we're members OF thu
Boards Of F~reeholders Of the two coun'
ties, representatives of the Press, and
county officials.