The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-25
NEW FIGHT BEGINS
TO BRIDGE HUDSON
Span Across River at 57th
Street Urged by Major
McClave. ....
WAY TO END PORT CHAOS
Commissioner Says Overhead
Scheme Is Better Than
Twin Tube Project.

The Hudson River Bridge Commit
tee, which has been planning and
struggling for many years to get the
city OF New York or the states OF New
York and New Jersey TO bridge the
Hudson River at F1fty-seventh street,
sees Its new opportunity In New York
city's present port difficulties. The
demand for better pier facilities. for a
more centralized and systematic
method of handling fuel, freight and
general commerce and for policy
which will guarantee New York's
commercial supremacy in the future.
has stirred Major S. Wood McClave,
representative Of the New Jersey
association and Of the Hudson River
Bridge Committee, to demand the
Fifty seventh street bridge as a neces-
sary part Of any port development
plan.
Major McClave takes the position
that there would not have been a fuel
shortage, with much suffering, last
winter had there been n bridge over
the Hudson. He has written a letter
to A. II. Smith, Regional Director of
Railroads, embodying the views OF the
advocates OF Hudson River bridge.
Hauling Methods Antiquated.
The facilities for handling freight
at the port OF New York are practi-
Cally the same as they were seventy
five years ago. notwithstanding tho
fact that our internal and foreign
trade has increased by leaps and
bounds" Major McClave wrote. The
result has been that we are now in
what might be called a chaotic con-
dition because nothing has been done
to keep in step with the times. We
are still bringing our freight cars
across the river upon floats. to be I'M
loaded in a haphazard way upon the
New York side--Just the methods used
by our grandfathers. The result has
been that the New Jersey terminals
are choked with freight for New York.
all waiting for tho care 10 be taken
away.
This situation was felt most keenly
by the individual last winter during
the coal famine, although there was
plenty OF coal along the New Jersey
water front. There was none or very
little over here in New York, where
1t was needed. The same conditions
are likely to prevail this winter.
THE only solution for the better
ment Of this ports facilities is to build
a Hudson River bridge at Fifty
seventh street in accordance with the
plans OF Gustave Lindenthal. This
should be a two-deck bridge, with
tracks for freight. passenger and troll
ley cars, and ways for trucks. auto
mobiles and foot passengers; a mar
ginal elevated street along the water
front, with tracks entering each pier
and warehouses on opposite sides.
Bridge Better Than Tubes.
Those that are opposed 70 a bridge
ana have been as long as I can re-
member. for what reason they best
know. say az an excuse that bridge
would cost too much. For that rea-
son they advocate tho building OF
tunnels because OF their cheapness.
maintain that bridge such as
have suggested would have eighteen
times the capacity OF pair or tubes
and that IL would be relatively far
cheaper and far better in every way,
not only in the quick and easy han
ding Of freight. but In relieving the
outrageous congestion al the ferries.
where every day motor trucks and
automobiles wait in lines blocks long
as far north as Dyckman street, for
an opportunity to cross the river.
This Is a time for the open door.
where all can enter unfettered for
the betterment OF the port Of New
York, which includes the Jersey shore.
I hope that the schemes and squabbles
OF men in official life will be side
tracked. The true solution OF the
problem is a Hudson River bridge,
which we should have had thirty years
ago."