Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-03-08
Henry schrimpf is Awarded Com
tract for Repairs to Damaged
Span-to Push Work
TO TEAR OUT 100 FEET MORE
All Traffic Diverted by Way of
New Brunswick-Rest of
Bridge in Danger

In order 10 permit of traffic over
the bridge between this city and South
Amboy being resumed as soon as pos
sible, contract has been let by the
state Highway Department to Henry
SchrimpT, local contractor, and
work was begun this morning to re-
pair the badly damaged bridge A.
section of the bridge eighty feet long
was torn from the rest of the strucs
ture by the heavy ice foes and strong
westerly wind Of Saturday and was
carried down the river.
The section carried away by the ice
stretches from the Perth Amboy end
of the drawbridge to the spot where
the trolley tracks, after crossing thei.
trestle, again run on the main struc-
! ture.
| Although eighty feet of the bridge
| was swept away 1t will be necessary-,
| Mr.. Schrimpf stated this morning. TO
tear away another $50 feet on the
Perth Amboy side of the bridge In or
| der to insure safety. Both night and
| day shifts will be utilized I'm doing
this repair work. the contractor stated
and he estimated that II would take
ten days to. complete the temporary
repairs, which would permit OF traf.
fic across the bridge being resumed.
Hundreds of people braved the cold
weather and icy wind yesterday after
noon to walk to the bridge and study
the damage done by the Ice. Tho
strength OF the Ice foes could be real
lied when closeup view of the
damage could be secured. The trolley
rails which hao crossed that eeotion
We're twisted and bent as IL they had
been pieces of wire. The destruction
to that particular section of the bridge
had been so complete that no trace
OF any of the wreckage could be dis
cerned in the water, though the
broken ice from the upper Raritah
was flowing at a furious rate, crush
ing into small pieces and at timea
piling up as it crashed into the supA
ports of the drab-bridge.
The entire river was frozen over
and piled high with ice except fot
the narrow open space through tha
channel running through the spot
where the bridge had been carried
away. No traffic was allowed on the
bridge but persons were permitted 70
go on foot to witness the unusual
sight.
Although the state highway de-
partment took immediate steps to
close the bridge Saturday morning
when 1t was found that this sectioU
wac shifting its position and lost no
time in awarding the contract 10 res
pair 1t, there is considerable anxiety
expressed as to the possibilities of the
w
pressure fthe rest of the ice In the
river above the bridge when It COME
mences to thaw and float towards tba
bay.
The view of the Raritan river west
Of The brige presents field or ice,
solid with the exception OF the mar
row open space in the channel through
which there Is open water,
The ice has frozen about the Dites
in such a manner that 1t has secured
a Vice-like grip on them and IN the
possibility of a warm spell and sudden
thaw 1t is question whether the rec
mainder of the bridge win escaps
damage.
AT present 1t is necessary for motor
vehicles to go by way OF New iirunss
wick In order to get to South Am.
boy tyaflic In Albany street again bes
Amboy Will be crippled until all dans
ger of the bridges being furthe1
damaged is past.
Mayor Dorsey, upon learning Of ths
conditions at the bridge on Saturday
tried to get in touch with the state
Highway Department but owing "a
those Offices being open only n jial1
day on Saturday he could not Secure
any information from that source. The
mayor got in touch with Contractor
Schrimpf this morning ana learned
from him the details of the NorR
which is now being started.
Owing to the river being clicked
with ice it will be necessary for ths
| pile-drlvers to be taken out on the
| bridge from the Perth Amhoy end
| and continue to work towards th2
draw, driving piling as 1t is moved.