Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1914-12-07
CONTRACT TODAY
FOR REPAIRS To
COUNTY BRIDGE
County Engineer Fox Says
Work May be Finished by
January IS and That Traffic
Will Not be Held Up.

The contract for the temporary re-
pairing and strengthening of the rest
piers of the cantilever span on the
county bridge over the Raritan river
will be let this afternoon by the
Board of Freeholders, is the belief of
County Engineer Fox.
Work Finished by Jan. 15.
Bids have been advertised to be
sent to the board this afternoon and
it is thought that body will lose no
time in deciding the lowest bidder
and getting the work under way as
quickly as possible. If the contract
is awarded this afternoon the bridge
will be in repair for the resumption
Of trolley traffic by January 10, it is
thought. The contractor receiving
the award is required to do the work
within thirty days after contract is
signed.
The county engineer has made all
possible haste to complete the plans
and have estimates given on the
work since the condemnation of the
draw by the Public Utilities Commits
sion October 27. However, the engi-
neer was required to revise his plans
three times before the state body
would approve them for trolley traf-
fee. The engineer declares that the
repairs required by the state board
make the work to be done of per-
manent nature. Because of the far
reaching requirements of the state
body, the so-called temporary re-
pairs, which in effect are just as
stable as permanent repairs, the en-
gineer says, will cause the strength
ening of the draw supports to cost
probably $4,000. This, however, de-
pends on the estimates received by
the Board of Freeholders this after
noon. A check Of S 900, which will
be forfeited If the successful bidder
fails to enter into contract with the
board within ten days, is required OF
each bidder.
Emergency Rest Piers.
According to the plans drawn by
the county engineer the strengthen
ing of the draw-supports will consist
Of pile and timber emergency res
piers. They will extend above the
present concrete abutments, which
were said to be gradually crumbline
and which caused the condemnation
of the draw. There will be no weight
on these concrete piers when the re
pair work Is completed.
There will be four clusters of
ninety-five foot piling under each
end of the cantilever span, making
forty-eight piles in all, each cluster
containing six. The piling will be
fourteen inches in diameter and will
form the supports of the two ends
of the span. All work will be kept
within the tenders so that the chan
mel will not be blocked at any time,
and the successful bidder Will agree
to do the work SO that traffic will
not be held up on the bridge more
than 1t is at present.
Employees of the Board Of Free
holders have begun to remove the
burned timbers from the southern
end of the bridge, and replace them
They were burned by flames origi.
mating from a cable of the Public
Service Electric Company, the insu-
lation of which was worn off, The
county board We're recently 1ndem-
nihed for the loss sustained. The
contractor has begun the work Of
the general strengthening Of the
bridge by placing $40 new spiles un-
der the structure from one end tc
the other.