Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-01
HALT
ACTION ON BRIDGE
OVER THE PASSA|C
Only One of Hudson Freehold
srs' Committee Present
at Meeting.


the joint bridge committee of Hud-
son and Essex counties al
meeting held in the Court
House yesterday afternoon rel
alive to a new bridge over the Pas
sale connecting Newark and Kearny
or Harrison.
The reason for delay was the fact
that but one member of the Hudson
delegation was present at the meet
ing, and the Essex men did not want
to force action without a proper
quota of the Hudson membership OF
the committee being present.
1t was the first meeting of the joint
committee since June 10, and in an
ticipation that some action would be
taken a number of interested citizens
of Harrison and Kearny were pres
emit. The committee has inspected
two sites, one from Blwood avenue,
Newark, to a point in Kearny, and
the other from Centre street, New
ark, to Hunterdon street, Harrison.
Arguments in favor of bridges in
both localities were submitted by
lnOSC iAlNOACoAEQs bAl dAASA u AC+AG
session devoted to discussion Free
holder Richard F. Malta, of Essex
county, chairman of the joint COM
nittee. announced that no action
would be taken at the meeting, but
that instead each county would take
up the proposition at the next meet
ing of the county board.
- h..
Woodside section, said that bridge
at Elwood avenue had been advocated
for many years, and dwelt at some
length on the advantages of that par
ticular site. He favored a high
bridge.
declared that those who had formerly
favored bridge at Delavan avenue
were only spectators who were in
terested in property in that vicinity.
He stated that he knew the govern
IN ant %as in favor of high bridge.
He said that the legislative acts Of
1911 authorized a bond issue to the
amount of three-twenty-flft of one
per cent of the ratables of the two
counties which at the present time
would amount to over million and
a half dollars.
j. Albert Stowe, representing the Ar
lington Board of Trade. declared that
all of the citizens of Arlington and
Kearny now strongly favored a high
bridge at Elwood avenue.
Robert e. Torrance, mayor of
Kearny and treasurer of West Hud-
son Board of Trade, said that Kearny
had practically no bridge at present
and was paying county taxes amount
ing to 100000. He declared that il
was growing rapidly and now had a
population of 10000, which he expected
would be doubled by 1920. He said
that its ratables would also be doubled
and that a bridge at Elwood ave-
nue. would increase the ratables and
the taxes and the increased income
from Kearny would help pay the in
terest and the sinking fund charges
for the nav bridge.
James M. Reilly, secretary of the
Newark Board of Trade, was asked
by Chairman Malta il he had any
remarks to make. He stated that he
had come to learn about the Centre
street bridge proposition. He thought
that the time had come for some ac-
ton on the matter of new bridge
II was at this stage of the meeting
that Chairman Malta stated that nc
action would be taken because of the
presence of but one Hudson County
freeholder.
"Centre street as the site for a new
bridge over the Passaic River is ap-
parently being sidetracked for Elwood
avenue" declared Freebooter Ernest
E. Ryman. IA bridge at Centre
street would carry four times as
much traffic as bridge at Elwood
avenue, and prove more OF a benefit
to Newark manufacturing interests
AS soon as the people of Harrison
asked for a bridge. starting at Centre
street and extending to Hunterdon
street, in Harrison, the bridge COM
mittee of the Hudson County free
holders switched off to the Elwood
avenue site"
1.-THE matter has not been side
tracked" retorted Chairman Malta,
"The county engineers of Essex and
Hudson have been instructed to secure
data from the New Jersey harbor
board appointed this year and the
war Department about both sites,
he added.
been a, switching in the bridge sites
Mr.. Ryman," said James M. Reilly
secretary of the Newark Board OF
Trade. 1.-THE Board of Trade just seven
years ago requested the Board OF
Freeholders to build an uptown
bridge"
IF Harrison and Hudson County
had stood firm" continued Mr.. Reilly,
sswhen the Pennsylvania Railroad was
reconstructing the railroad bridge at
Centre street the War Department
would never have approved the plans
for the present structure, and per-
mission would have been granted to
turn it into a combination railroad
and wagon bridge. | do not think
that the department would grant per-
mission for a bridge at Centre street
now, as it Is so close to other
bridges"
II contend" declared Freebooter
Ryman, that the question Of the
other bridge was just brought up to
| overshadow the Centre street propo-
sition. I think the Harrison people
should be given decisive answer
yes or no."
A rather heated argument took
place over the matter of reports from
| the Lincoln Highway bridges. II
seems that in Essex County the re-
ports made by William p. Dugan
superintendent of the Lincoln High
| way and bridges, are made to Chair.
man Malta, while in Hudson County
| it is expected that these reports