Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-28
TUNNEL SCHEME
NOT ENCOURAGED
BY FREEHOLDERS
County Body Listens to Plea
for Action-Would Combine
TubercuIar Hospitals.

What action, If any. the Essex
! County Board of Freeholders will
take with regard to the proposed tun5
mel under the Hudson river to connect
New Jersey and New York, was not
indicated at the board meeting yes
terday. although the project was
urged on it. The members simply
listened TO the talk, taking no action
whatever
The first definite step toward the
taking over by the county of the city
sanitarium for tubercular patients at
/ Verona and the transfer of the pa
tients from Soho to that place was
considered at the meeting. A resolu-
! ton was introduced by Freeholder
Mattia calling for the appointment of
a committee to confer with the New
ark Board of Health on the county
taking over the Verona institution.
This was adopted and the committee
to confer with the health authorities
will be composed of Director Ernest
E. Ryman and FraeholderS Mattil
and William Pennington.
Edward c. Brennan, a representa-
tive of the Northern New Jersey In
provement Association, which is be-
hind the project. was present at the
meeting and painted a glowing pic
ture of the benefit which a bridge or
tunnel connecting New Jersey AMI
New York would be for Essex county.
Mr.. Brennan's efforts, to all indica-
tions. fell on barren soil as the only
action the board took WAS to receive
and place on file a number of petit
tions asking for the appointment of a
bridge commission 10 inquire into the
feasibility of the plan.
Meeting on Scheduled Time.
The objections registered on We'd
nesday by Freeholder Richard F
Malta on account of the delay in
calling meetings had it's beneficial
effects as the board meeting yester-
day started practically ON schedule.
The entire meeting took exactly TWEEN
ty-eight minutes and of that time
twenty minutes was taken up by Mr.
Brennan in telling why Essex county
should enter the bridge or tunnel
proposition.
In closing his talk Mr.. Brennan told
the board that there was considerable
criticism throughout Essex county be-
cause of the fact that the freeholdecs
had not taken any action in further
ing the scheme for a bridge or tunnel
or both.
Says Taxpayers Approve.
There is an almost unanimous feel
ing among the taxpayers of TINS
county," said Mr. Brennan, "for the
appointment of the commission by
Governor Fielder to inquire into this
bridge and tunnel proposition.
"They know that connecting New
York and New Jersey by either
vehicular tunnel or bridge will mean
the lowering of taxes, because it is
~, I,a finTN u
promotion of big plants in this sec
tion and will bring hundreds of new
residents into this STATE"
Mr.. Brennan further declared that
the building of the Greensboro bridge
had increased realty holdings nearly
five times over on Long Island. He
pointed out that the tunnels and
bridge could be made self-sustaining
by the charging of a toll. The Brook
lyn bridge, he stated, was paid for in
this manner.
Last year." the speaker stated.
"7, 100000 vehicles of all descriptions
crossed the New York ferries into
New Jersey. If only one-seVenth of
that number went through the tun-
mel or over the bridge and had %
pay only about half the sum they do
on the ferries it would mean that
either the tunnel or bridge would ne
self-sustaining. In addition. there
would be revenue from corporations
who would want to use the bridge
and tunnel"
Bonds to Pay First Cost.
The issuing of bonds of long dura-
ton could pay the first cost, declared
Mr.. Brennan, and they could be taken
up, as they matured, from the rev.
enue that would be secured. Mr..
Brennan urged the freeholders to go
into the scheme and pass a resolution
calling for the appointment of the
commission.
He presented to the board a number
of petitions which had been circulated
| in the factories of the Westinghouse
Company, Pure Oil Company, James
A. Banister Company, Standard Metal
Company, A p. Smith & Co, George
Brown & CO.. Meeker Foundry Com
! pany, American Chicle Company,
American Writing Machine Company,
| Van Keuren & Sons, and several
other firms calling for the freeholderS
| to take some action. 1t was these
petitions that were received and filed
The board adopted the resolutions
passed by the finance committee on
| Wednesday calling for the appoint
ment of an assistant county engineer
and the changing of the title of the
rodman in the engineers office to
ldraughtsman. When the resolution
for the appointment of the assistant
engineer came up, Freeholder Malta,
who protested against the resolution
at the committee meeting, asked to