Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-07-16
EXAMINE Span
Of BRIDGE HERE
State Engineers Say Track on
Which Draw Runs is Com
pIeteIy Worn Out.
DRILL FOR NEW BRIDGE
Two Months Work to Place
Foundations is Started
Strike Rock 80 Feet Down.

That the closing of he state
bridge between this city and South
Amboy is only a matter of time.
va. the opirios of those employed
on the stIuciure .o15y. At the
prcsrnt time the track pn which the
rTi'lge runs wnaa 1T swings open IS
completely worn out ami in Places s
tbs heavy wheets arc 'Ianing IN the
concrete foundation. Whenever
the bridge is opened it is almost
u'ss::on as TO whether ,r not 1t
will possible to close 1t. 1t is
in such ..oa.lI.iJn that IL :akts
f:l m ten 70 twsI-y-nVe nn.nu-ss 10
open and GO - tae ssructure.
When the EVENING NEWS re-
porter visited the span today, boat
was just about to go through it. In
border to move the huge draw open,
the engine was started and after
chugging for a couple of times and
straining at the cogs and screws
that turn the bridge. no progress had
been made. Three men then began to
aid the engine in its work by placing
the hand turning apparatus in action.
After putting all the strength on the
handle for some minutes the huge
draw began to swing but only slowly.
AS soon as it was started the men
stopped and the engine kept on with
the work, soon however the bridge
refused to move again, and again the
men strained at the long wooden
handle.
After the bridge had been opened
wide enough to let the steamer go
through, the men and engine again
by their combined efforts succeeded
in replacing the bridge in position,
but only after fifteen minutes had
been consumed in the operation and
a long string of automobiles tied up
at either side of the bridge. The fear
of those employed on the bridge
seems to be that the span may be
opened and then remain so, refusing
the CONT bined efforts of the men and
engine to move it.
The steel track upon which the
bridge turns, and which is worn so
that the wheels rest on the concrete
base, is about foot wide. According
to an engineer at the bridge this
morning, there are two steel tracks,
one above the wheels and one under
the wheels, both of these tracks are
to be replaced and he said that the
raising of the bridge to replace the
tracks is a very delicate operation.
ne wheels upon which the bridge
turns are one foot in diameter. The
bridge rests on these wheels and they
rest on the steel track attached to
the concrete base on which they
tnrn. y ss.s +
At the prsssasg time the state is
negotiating With the American
Bridge. Company OF New York to
replace the. tracks. but as yet the
negotiations have not been completed
and information obtainable today was
to the effect that it is not known
when the negotiations would be COM
pleted nor how long the bridge will
be closed when the work of placing
the new tracks in position is started.
The bridge however will be kept in
operation until the new track arrives
unless at some time when It is opened
it refuses to close.
At the present time all sorts of
traffic is using the span but the
engineer said it would be advisable
for all trucks carrying more than
six tons to discontinue traffic over
the structure and go to the shore
or farming districts of Monmouth
and Middlesex counties via New
Brunswick.
Drilling For New Bridge.
The drilling for the site of the
foundation for the new state
bridge across the Raritan river be-
tween this city and South Amboy,
is progressing rapidly. Machines
and men are now at work on both
sides OF the river and it is expected
that the work will be completed
within a period of two months.
Although up to the present lime the
drillers have devoted their time to
drilling on each bank of the river.
on Monday the work of drilling
in the center of the riEer will be
started. The work is being done
by the Giles Drilling Company of
80 Church st.cet, New York. anil
IS under III personal direction OF
T j. Kennedy.
have so far struck nothing but a
hard clay bottom. While drilling
in the yard of the tile plant Of the
c. Pardee Company here the drill
ers struck rock at a depth OF ninety
feet, but it is not known as yet
whether this rock is Only a large
boulder or a real rock formation.
This will probably be discovered
within a short time, as the drillings
in this place are completed. Each
drilling goes to a depth of 100 feet.
A new drilling has been started
about $50 feet from the spot at
which the rock has been struck and
although it is now down to a depth
of about sixty feet, nothing but hard
clay has been discovered. However.
it is claimed by Mr.. Kennedy that
it Is not necessary to have a rock
formation for the bridge foundation
as hard clay at 100 feet is satisfac-
tory.
At the present time seven men
are employed in the drilling process
but within a few days 1t is expected
that twelve men will be employed
in this work.
Tax Board TO Meet Here.