The Mount Holly news., 1915-03-30
The Mullica River Bridge.

The Mullica River Bridge.
Responding to newspaper articles
touching the Mullica River bridge, for
mer Judge Higbee, of Atlantic Coun
ty, who appears to be very much in
terested in the matter, has taken much
space in his home newspapers to show
what he claims to be the true state o1
the case. One Of the statements o1
Judge Higbee is as follows:
at is true that twenty-five years
ago or thereabout, Burlington Coun-
ty built bridge over Mullica River
and took legal proceedings to com.
pei Atlantic County to pay one-half
At that time Atlantic County did moi
need or desire this bridge but was
forced to contribute its share. The
bridge was built under a contract let
by Burlington County, and, if the re-
ports of experts engaged by the Board
of Freeholders of both counties during
the past six years to investigate the
condition of this bridge, be true, the
method used in the building of this
bridge is a disgrace to any county"
Perhaps the Judge is correct in say
ing that Atlantic county was forced
to pay one-half of its share of the
cost of the bridge, but that is rather
a harsh way of putting it. The Board
of Freeholders of Atlantic county was
asked more than once to aid in build
ing bridge and testimony was taken
on the question of necessity. A mand-
anus was issued compelling the Board
to appoint committee to aid in build
ing the bridge. AS a result Of this
writ the Atlantic county Board ap-
pointed a committee to join with a
similar committee from Burlington
county and the bridge was built under
the supervision of an engineer en-
ployed by the joint committee. If, as
Judge Higbee says, the method used
in building this bridge was a disgrace
to any county, the disgrace must be
shared by Atlantic county, for it had
let on the bridge shows the names of
the joint committee that erected this
"disgraceful structure"
"Some six years ago." continues the
Judge, speaking approximately with
out delving into the minutes, it was
found that this structure was ap-
parently in an unsafe condition" Yet
during all those six years there has
been increased travel and the bridge
still stands. There have been severe
winters in that period and tons of ice
have gone up against this disgrace
fuP affair and it has not given away,
although the Judge thinks it is now in
a condition to make criminals of the
members of the Boards of Freeholders.
Summing up the Judge makes his
statements under specific headings.
No. 1 shows that this inferior bridge
which everyone condemns was origin
ally built by Burlington county,
against the wishes of Atlantic county.
This is disputed. The tablet on the
bridge and the minutes of the Atlantic
county Board, into which he "has not
delved," show that there WIS a COM
mittee from Atlantic county which
acted with the Burlington county, so
that this inferior work." if it is so
shown to be, must be shouldered by
Atlantic as well as Burlington. Pos
sibly if there had been a "delving"
into the minutes or an investigation of
the entire affair it would be shown
that the original figures were for an
80 lb. bridge, at a cost of $37 900,
which was afterwards changed to a
so lb. bridge at about $4,000. Who
was responsible for this change and
why the reduction?
The fact must not be lost sight of
that Judge Higbee refers constantly
to an inferior bridge, while the pres
ent idea is to build new abutment
only and that at cost of more than
double that of the entire bridge when
first built.
Judge Higbee inquiries when the
proposition to build an entire new
bridge was first thought of. It has
been discussed since the people of this
county have been enlightened on the
conditions that now exist and the mat
ter which the Atlantic county Board
of Freeholders seems so very much
intent on pushing through has been
given publicity. The Burlington coun-
ty Board of Freeholders has not Civ
en- any idea of what it intends to do
It will meet tomorrow to discuss that
situation, but the taxpayers of Bur
lington county have spoken in no mis-
taken terms on the subject. They can.
not see any reason why such sum
should be spent simply for new abut.
ments, with the possibility-maybe
probability-of a new superstructurt
coming later. Trolley roads are
springing up in all sections and witt
a new abutment that will carry heavy
weight it would then be necessary t,
get new bridge to carry the cars o.
a trolley company that may now b
only in mind or on paper, but which il
expected to be proposed later. Allan
tic county may have been forced int
building a bridge twenty-five year
ago when it was thought travel di'
not warrant it, but times have chang
ed. and it is now an undisputed fac
that a bridge at that point is an alb
solute necessity and the prime mover
for a large expenditure of money
based on the grounds that the pres
ent abutments are not safe, but wit
something else possibly behind tn
whole affair, come from the count
that did not want to go into the mat
ter in the first place.
There was considerable testimon
taken at the time the mandamus pre-
ceedings were under consideration
Here is the evidence of one of the me
who was against building the bridge
He said: I am acquainted with tn
currents on the Mullica river; they ar
at ordinary times about two and
half miles per hour; storm tides in
crease the rate. Have seen ice pile
up on the banks at Chestnut Neck an
vicinity; the point where this bridg
is rather more exposed than any
know of along the river. In my judl
ment it would take a pretty stren
bridge to stand the force of the storm
at this point" And with this sort {
testimony bridge was built tbs
withstood the force of the storms an
the piles of ice, and although Disco
cred to be dangerous six years ag
still withstood the storms during tn,
interval and is now reported to be
a condition to render somebody lab
for manslaughter.
It is all right to make things SAT
but Burlington county should stand
the last minute before it allows itse