The Topeka state journal., 1921-09-20
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HASKIN, Director,
Washington, d. G.
CROSSING THE DELAWARE NOW.

! ing 10 statements issued py CIVIC du-
thorities of the Quaker City, work
has been begun on the longest sus-
pension bridge in the world.
This is the new bridge planned to
span the Delaware river from Phila
delphia to Camden. The plans show
the span length near the Philadelphia
terminus to be a distance OF 1850
| feet between towers. The main span
of the Brooklyn bridge is only 1886
feet, and that of the Williamsburg
bridge, 1900 feet in length. The
height proposed for the east main
river tower is $50 feet above the
river. The bridge in its entirety will
exceed any other suspension bridge in
the world for length(by $50 feet, if
| the present plans are adhered to.
| This bridge, the cost of which has
| been estimated at nearly $29;000,000,
is both a relief and the fulfillment of
a long-cherished desire to business
authorities at the City hall, one of
| those things the necessity and practi-
| cability of which has long been ac-
knowledged by citizens on both sides
of the Delaware river, but which has
| been delayed by circumstances.
| Now that definite action has been
taken and arrangements for the prog
| ress of the work made, Camdenites
and Philadelphians are signing with
relief and asking each other, why
didn't we do it long ago?"
| The state of Pennsylvania and the
! city of Philadelphia will each pay $S,-
| 273, 500 toward the expenses of build
i ing the bridge and the state of New
Jersey has appropriated $12, $4,000.
I There was much discussion over the
location of the Philadelphia terminus
of the bridge. Finally, after an un-
| usually hectic meeting of Pennsyl-
lvania commissioners on July 20, a
vote was taken resulting in the selec-
| ton of the Franklin Square-Pearl
| street site. The New Jersey commits
sioners voted solidly in favor of the
site, which was at length selected.
| Saved the Church.
The Franklin Square Plaza is ideal
ly situated in the center of the arteries
| of Philadelphia traffic, so that direct
routes from that end of the bridge
will lead into all parts of the city The
| fate of one structure with a known
historical or sentimental value was in
volved in the original plans. This was
| st. Georges Methodist Episcopal
| church. The venerable edifice, called
| by many the Shrine of Methodism is
| located on the site of one of the road
| ways planned to be cut parallel to the
new bridge. The early suggestions
were in favor of moving the church to
| a location more artistically fitted to
| display its quaint charm. Later, how
ever, other plans were drawn up
changing the approach to the bridge
| and thus eliminating the necessity for
| removing the old church.
| In Camden, fortunately, there was
no property in the path of the pro-
posed bridge, and its auxiliary road
| ways, which was of historical value
and interest. The site chosen for the
Camden terminus of the bridge seems
to have proved an unusually happy
choice. The renovations necessary to
direct the great tide of human beings
and vehicles which will cross the new
bridge into the city of Camden will
involve neither the forcing of traffic
thru that city's busiest streets nor
! long, awkward detours.
| The deep enthusiasm which the
state of New Jersey feels toward this
protect is expressed in a most prac-
tical manner by the fact that the So
VOo.0V0 bond issue was heavily over
subscribed at Trenton, when the bids
We're first opened there on June 2S by
the New Jersey state house commits
sion.
! Ralph Modjeska, internationally
known for his great list of successes
in civil engineering, was unanimously
lappo1nted to the position of chief
bridge engineer. George S. webster
and Lawrence A. Ball are members
Iappointed TO board of engineers for
1.-THE construction of the Delaware
bridge.
Mr.. Modjeska is a rather unusual
1person. Born at Cracow, Poland, in
1851. with the original terrible sur
name of Modrejewski, he came to the
United States with his mother Helena
Modjeska, later celebrated as trage-
dienne, in 1876. The modification in
the Modjeska surname was made at
the time American naturalization pa
pers were applied for. Mr.. Modjeska
WAS graduated from the College des
Fonts ct Chaussees of Paris at the
J head of his class and with special hon
ors. He received the doctor Of en-
lgineerinS degree from the University
of Illinois in 1911. He has engaged in
many important undertakings while
pursuing his chosen profession and is
now head of his own firm in Chicago
as well as prominent in many organi-
= cations and societies in the country.
Mr.. Modjeska will receive a salary
or S2,5OO a month and is to devote
nearly one-half of his time to the de-
signing and construction of the great
work. He will be in full charge of
/ an details regarding the structure, and
will have a fully organized staff to
carry out his instructions. Mr.. Web
ster and Mr.. Ball will each receive a
monthly salary of $1,000.
To Carry Great Traffic
, Among the most important things
planned for the Delaware bridge by
the engineers of the bridge commits
sion are six roadways, four trolley
lines (two tor high-speed service)
and two ten-feet walks for pedestrians
In this way, all kinds of traffic can be
readily served The grimy, pokey
} old ferry-boat between these two cities
seems to De doomed.
What would George Washington
think could he but know what is
| MANNED
method of Crossing the Delaware II
The cakes of ice which may form in
the river in the winter time will not
have the power to affect traffic from
shore to shore of the Delaware in the
future as is so graphically depicted
in the thousands of copies of that
famous old steel engraving that used
: to hang on every best parlor wall.
While no definite date has beer
set for the completion of this great
| SnSnPnSinn hTide IL