Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-16
CAMDEN VIADUCT,
$2O,OOO,OOO PLAN,
PLEA TO COUNCILS
BOARD to Steer Gigantic
Scheme Asked in Ordi-
nance Tomorrow
NEW JERSEY Co-OPERATEs
nesigns Already Made for
Great Connecting Link Be-
tween Two Cities

4 ,,,thorization of the appointment of the
100000 Phladelphia-Camden Bridge
commission will be asked in Councils to-
.,orrow in an ordinance that Will be re-
..r,od favorably by the Finance Com
mttee.
Tho hill. originally carrying an appro-
ia,ion of sis, 900, proposes a commission
. pnsistInr of Director of Wharves, Docks
VA Ferries Webster, Director CT Public
Suorks Datesman and Director of City
transit Twining. This board VIII co,
.aarote with a commission already named
~, camden. Burlington and Gloucester
Ds,rties and one to be appointed by
Snvernor Fielder, of New Jersey. The
hri which will be presented by Chairman
CARNEY of the Finance Committee, mere
10 creates the commission, minus the
appropriation.
Jersey COUNTIES TO AID.
The three New Jersey counties, accord
,,r 10 the plans, would bear half the
est,mated cost, s20,00O,000 which Includes
,he nurchase of lines of properties essen
,iaI to the erection of the bridge on one
~ the proposed sites. Money appropra-
,,ons are to follow the report of the com.
mission, 1t is said, IL its report is favor
able
great viaduct spanning the Delaware
p,ver has been the dream of both cities
for years. After several failures to push
through the project this occasion is looked
mon as the most favorable for the ful-
allment of the vision of an economic and
military connecting link between Philadel-
phIa's great population and the fertile
Industrial and agricultural districts of
New Jersey.
The decision to present the ordinance
with the appropriation division stricken
out was made by the Finance Committee
on February 8 upon Select Councilman
Charles Segers suggestion. Fifteen thou
sand dollars has been appropriated for
preliminary plans and surveys by the
Boards of Freeholders of the three New
Jersey counties which were appealed to
by Dr. l. N. Griscom, of 5th and Cooper
streets, Camden, and others. Doctor Girls
com headed a movement introducing n
bill in the last Pennsylvania Legislature
asking $4,000 appropriation, but it died
In committee.
The necessity and the advantages of n
bridge between Philadelphia and Camden
have been pointed out by the advocates of
such a structure. The resulting direct
traffic communication between the two
cities and their tributaries and the prob
ability of a great farmers market at one
end of the structure have been advanced
10 the bridge connection between New
York and Brooklyn as an example to be
followed The military advantage of such
a bridge also has ben emphasized.
bridge to span the Delaware has been
designed by Walter Williams Shipley, an
architect and engineer who estimated the
maximum cost of the structure at
sMW0OO0. His plans are fc- a high-level,
double-deck, cantilever steel bridge, over
which trolley tracks. auto speedways,
truck and dray deck and footways are
to extend. Two columns of masonry, one
at the Market street p.er-head line and
the other at the Cooper street, Camden.
pier-head line, would support the bridge,
which would be 1870 feet long between
the piers.
Approaches of 32 per cent. grade
from 9Th street, this city, and from 9Th
or Ith street, Camden. are planned. The
drawings show that free passage of ships
beneath the bridge would be permitted,
the bridge being 15O feet above water. The
contemplated width is 1886 feet.
Designs for a bridge, drawn three years
ago, were rejected by the Government
because the supporting columns would
have been placed in the bed of the river,
obstructing navigation. The plans at that
time also were for a Government appro-
prlaton.