The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-09-01
Big LIFE LOSS seen
IN PON7OON BRIDGE
Hudson River Navigator
Warns Against Proposed
Temporary Span.
ICE GRAVE MENACE
Would Sweep Wooden Hulls
From Stays, Says Prof.
w. II. Burr.
DEFENDED BY DESIGNER
Lindenthal Declares at Hear
ing That Structure Is
Practicable.
DEFENDED BY DESIGNER

engineers in the country and FORMER
professor at Columbia University, yes
terday expressed totally different views
regarding plans Mr.. Lindenthal has
prepared for the proposed temporary
pontoon bridge across the Hudson
River from Yonkers to Alpine. N. j..
Mr.. Lindenthal gave it as his profess
sional opinion that the structure was
practicable and the plans entirely ade-
quate. Mr.. Burr insisted they were
not. Ice he said, would sweep down
on the anchored hulls of the Shipping
Board vessels it is intended to use as
supports for the steel superstructure
and carry the bridge away.
IF these plans were subjected to an
engineering analysis" said Mr.. Burr,
II believe they would be found so OBJ
jectionable in design as to make 1t
public duty to prohibit the bridges
erection"
These Numerically opposed opinions
OF the engineers came out during the
course Of a hearing on the bridge at
the Army Building in Whitehall street
before Col. Edward Burr, chief OF the
United States Engineers for the FRS;
District, yesterday. The opposition at
times became heated and several OF
the speakers referred to the proposal to
build the bridge as an outrage" 1t
was charged that the promoters were
seeking profit, rather than to aid the
public and it was argued that, as the
State has spent millions in doing away
with all toll bridges, 1t would be con-
trary to public policy to authorize
new one.
Calls Question Foolish.
Middleton S. Borland of the Hudson
Navigation Company. who headed the
opposition OF the river interests. at
tempted to ask Mr.. Lindenthal II any
similar bridge existed over a river hav-
ing the same kind and amount of traf-
fic as the Hudson. but the latter de-
clined to answer what he characterized
as foolish" question.
Il won't ask you anything else
wouldn't get anywfere IL did, snapped
Mr.. Boriand.
II wish you'd withdraw that" said
Col. Burr whereupon Mr.. Borland did.
1t was announced for the first time
by Lindenthal that, In Difference to criti-
c.sms which had been raised, the width
of the draw had been increased from
100 to 270 feet with a lift span clear
ance of 1875 feet. There would be an
other space of 270 feet, with a clear
ance Of forty feet overhead without
draw, he said. Mr.. Lindenthal thought
this would give ample space for tug
boats with tows and for passenger
steamships.
He secuted the Id ca that there would
be danger to the structure from Ice.
The heavy ice from above the High
lands did not come down, in sheets, he
said. and. besides. there we're to be
three guard boats constantly on duty,
which could break 1t UP. The chief
danger, he said, would be from fire.
Wind pressure on the pontoons would
be taken care of by screw piles driven
into the bottom of the river asd by
steel cables running to them from the
bow and stern OF each vessel, he said.
The forty foot, three roaded super
structure would be strong enough to
support railroad train, Mr.. Linden
thai said, and the draw span could be
lifted in two minutes.
stability Is Criticised.
Mr.. Burr criticised the stability OF
the pontoons and the security OF the
screw piles in the bed OF the river 10
which the cables are to be attached
He said the bridge would be constantly
moving and that II couldn't carry any
great traffic, seriously and continuously,
even for ten years. which is the proposed
life OF the structure. 1t was something
entirely new in bridge construction to
attempt lift span on a bridge sup
ported by the hulls of vessels, he de-
clared.
Would 1t be hazardous to have such
span above vessels. particularly pas
senger vesscls?" asked Col. Burr.
Il think it would" Mr. Burr an
swered. The structure Is not entitled
to confidence, even as temporary ex-
pcdient 1t should not be built over
the Hudson or any other river. The
idea that tugs could break up the ice
Is so impossible as to be preposterous
The tugN and the ships supporting the
bridge would all 60 down stream to-
Gether.
impossible TO Tows.
Towboat shippers and captains of
passenger steamers plying up and down 1
the river told Col. Burr it would be |
impossible for their craft to pass through !
the draw in safety. Frederick Coy /
kendall of the Cornell Towing Company |
explained that 1t was 1000 feet from /
the head OF some tcws 60 the stern I
OF the last craft and that. when the \
wind blew across river. IL was neces- |
ssry they head diagonsliy and that they /
couldn't 20 straight through the draw |
River freight rates. he said. depended |
on the number of bargcs or schooncrs
in tow and, II the number had to be |
reduced. 1t would materially increase
the cost of New York city's food sup |
ply and of much OF the material that !
goes into local building construction.
Capt. Keller OF the steamship C.. w. |
Morse explained there was sometimes
30 or so mile an hour wind on the
Hudson and that Il would he unsafe 10 !
attempt to take big passenger vessel |
through the go foot draw.
why. it's the most absurd thing 1 I
ever heard Of" said he. If this bridge ,
fs built there's going to be big loss
OF life there: | give YOU fair warning"
Besides Mr.. Lindenthai. the pro-
ponents were represented by George A.
Post, chairman of the special commit
tee OF incorporators named in the bill
introduced In the Senate by sena tor
Frelinghuysen, and l.. X. Lydccker.
Mayor of Mayvile, n. j., who said all
of Bergen county favored the project
and that he had been authorized TO APP
bear In its behalf Mt meeting 81 the
BERGEN county Mayors. held recently.