Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-10-15
BRIDGE WORK
RESPONSIBILITY
PASSED ALONG
FreehoIders Say Lehigh Valley
Railroad Should Repair Nor
ris Canal Structures.

Responsibility for the repairs of the
Newark street bridge over the Norris
canal, which structure is said to be
in a dangerous condition for pedes-
trians because of two broken steps, is
agitating the city and county authori-
ties, with each one denying RESPONSE
bility. The question was discussed
by the Board of Freeholders at q
meeting yesterday when a complaint
about the bridge was resigstered with
them by Alderman John ]. Walsh.
The freeholders denied responsibility,
declaring that the matter was one for
the Lehigh Valley railroad Company,
owners of the canal, to take care OF,
and the matter was passed along to
the company
General Superintendent of Works
Charles M. Shipman, of the Board Of
Works, thinks the matter is one for
the Board of Freeholders to take care
OF, and he says that the Suffolk
street bridge over the canal is in need
of repairs Just as much as the New
ark structure, and he declares that he
has called the attention of the free
holders to what he says is a danger
GUS hole in the Suffolk street bridge,
but nothing towards making repairs
TO this latter structure has been DONE
The matter of repairs may be respon-
sible for someone being injured at the
bridges.
Deputy Chief Engineer James c.
Hallock, of the Board of Works, de-
cared today that the Newark street
bridge should be repaired by the free
holders. He said that there had been
an agreement between the city and
county authorities to divide the
l.as1 1arAs, IL x,v,f lA
of making repairs to them. The
Washington street bridge had been
replanked by the city a couple of
years ago, and recently when there
was a cavein at the same structure
that the city had made the repairs.
At no time had the Iehigh Valley
Railroad Company been asked to pay
tor the repairs to the structure.
Both the Newark street bridge and
the Suffolk street bridge were
among those assigned to the county
when a list was prepared dividing
the brid as eCt i them.
Alderr who represents
the Fiftc nth y filed his COM
plant of the Newark street bridge
In writing to the freeholders. The
meeting had been delayed for more
than an hour because of the lack of
a quorum, and the few who were on
hand had about given up the thought
of a session when the necessary fifth
member showed up. Alderman
Walsh's communication was taken
up almost Immediately. He specified
that the steps on the easterly side
were in n dangerous condition. asked
for their repair, and then injected
little humor into the complaint.
II don't want any of the Fifteenth
warders to break their legs and lose
their votes on election day." was the
concluding sentence of A.Aerman
Walsh's communication.
II will refer that communication to
the Lehigh Valley railroad" said Di-
rector Evans.
who is chairman of that commit
tee?" queried Freeholder Emmett
Quinn.
II guess it's a committee of the
WHOLE said the director, 'but, serl-
ously speaking" he continued. I'VE
have no jurisdiction over that bridge,
and / think that 1t is up to the rail-
road company to put 1t In safe con-
dition."
The board passed resolution adopt
ing the recommendation of County
Counsel Alfred N. Dalrymple, to settle
the claim of James f. Kelly against
the county for 81, 1,463.66 for $1,223.11.
Kelly took over the contract of
Storms & Co., who had the contract
for the installation of a lighting sys-
tenn at the Overbrook and Soho hos
pitfalls. when that firm went into bank
ruptcy, and the work was never COM
pleted to the satisfaction of the in
spectors in charge of the work Re-
sponsibility for the poor work was
shifted from one to another, and to
clear the matter up it was decided to
make settlement with Kelly. The
resolution yesterday was the result.
The board adopted various commit
tee recommendations among which
was the awarding of the contract of
81, 7S5 for the carpenter work for War
den Ferdinand Hosp's new home at
the Caldwell penitentiary, to John
Wassmer jr., whose bid was told In
the Evening Star yesterday. Other
bids on this work were: A. j. Wald-
ron, $5,024 Becker Construction Com
pany, $500; Thomas A. Curtis, $4,000,
and A. V. Johnson & Co. 1884.
A. H. Ross & Co. of this city, got
the contract for the coal supply at
Overlook, their figures of 1855 per
ton being the lowest, and to the
Northern Construction Company was
given the work for the paving of
Lyons avenue, Irvington.
Several bonds, furnished by COM
oanfes who have contracts for county
work, were accepted.
The board on the advice of County
Counsel Dalrymple, decided to accept
$3.50 in payment of the assessment on
property on Frelinghuysen avenue,
owned by the Progress Realty Com
pany, who denied the validity of an
assessment for $599.44, which was
charged against the property When
they purchased it.