The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-10-01
1ZV yS1R1ssNzZzN EnV1h 11SWRVzN
BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.

w q toOn bridge between Yon
NJ kers and Alpine, roadwa!
I'm N for automobiles and a foot
W3 way for pedestrians strun:
across forty or fifty larg'
ships for nearly a mile, Is apt to bs
the latest new thing of the nation.
will be new thing only in the United
States. For the pontoon bridge il
centuries old and is In common use
now in Europe.
This pontoon bridge across the Hud
son is proposed for these reasons: 1t is
badly needed to relieve congestion; il
is entirely feasible; it can be built in
year; ii will cost only S2,000,OOO
ships that can serve as pontoOns are
already in existence.
There is no question as to the need
of the bridge. The automobile CON
gestion Is notorious; the New York
ferries are inadequate to handle the
traffic. One Of the great sufferers is
the Palisades Interstate park. So Il
Is natural that the first suggestion of
the pontoon bridge came from Maj.
w. A. WEIGH, engineer of the park
commission.
This Palisades Interstate park 1t
should be noted, Is one of the great
public Fairgrounds of the United
States. The original park was estab-
lished by New York and New Jersey
to save the Palisades of the Hudson
from quarrymen who were blasting
them for stone. Curiously enough 1t
was the federated club women of the
two states who succeeded in getting
the park established. After all efforts
By men had failed they induced the
legislatures of the two states to take
the necessary action and to make ap-
Preparations. The park was opened In
1909. Mrs. Z. III. Hartman extended
the area TO 10000 acres In 1910 by
Gtft Of land. That year there were
. few thousand visitors, many of them
campers. The possibilities of the park
we're seen. Since then everything that
money and good management can do
has been done for this park. More
than $S,O0O,OOO have been expended on
r. OF this large sum So per cent has
come from gifts by public-spirited citi-
xens. 1t now contains about 10000 |
ncres. with improvements to fill every |
need. The bulk of the attendance |
comes from New York city. Children
IRE sent by thousands ON river boats.
Boy scouts. Camp Fire girls and hun
oreds Of organizations camp there.
thousands drive there. There are res |,
nurants for every purse; facilities for
very kind of recreation. The aggre-
1ote Of the summers attendance is
InOrmous.
moreover, this park enjoys the DO
4c1on OF an object lesson of efficiency
2 public Fairgrounds. A capable engi-
Ger with free hand has secured his
noney's worth In the improvements.
Ene management is pointed out as a
Model. The management is vested IN
permanent commission of five men,
'ers from each state. They serve
Without pay and the post is one of
lonor. The late George w. Perkins.
mo was for many years leading
parit OF the commission, once said
nat the biggest thing the commission
~ accomplished was to keep politics
1t Of the park.
AS to the ships that can serve as
ontoons. they're ready. As everyone ,
nows the shipping. board slightly .
verpiayed its hand in the matter Of I
uiiding wooden ships during the |
World war. There were 571 of these n
OGDEN ships constructed. Only 298 :
ave been sold. 1t has been costing !
ne government $4,000 month 10 ,
lke care Of the other 275. These [
ntpS cost on an average $500 OO0 a
Aen. For time 1t seemed impossible I
. sell them at any price. Indeed I
representative Wood of Indiana re. |,
sntly said on the floor of the house: Il
We have 275 Of these wooden yes. 4
sis down here In the mouth of the a
ames river, tied up In units OF seven a
Acn' with 40 men to the unit, each of %
aem receiving 500 month and his "
sep costing the government $4,000 I,
month. or 100000 a year. for a LOT
poats that are not worth sinking. G.