Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-21
REJECT PLANS
FOR R. R. SPAN
Disapprove c. R. R. Plans for
Bridge From EIizabethport
to Bayonne

TRENTON, March 2l.-Elan SUI
mitted by the Central Railroad OF
New Jersey for the proposed new
railroad bridge from Elizabethport
to Bayonne to replace the present
structure have been disapproved by
the Commerce and Navigation board.
This announcement was made yes
terday to George Holmes. chief
| counsel for the railroad, at a meeting
of the board.
Another meeting, at which Mr..
Holmes is to tell the board how he
makes III with the Bayonne author
tiles in getting made adjustments OF
street levels in that city necessary
for a higher bridge desired by the
board, has been set for March 80,
at 2 o'clock, at Jersey City.
The boards objections to the plans
of the company as submitted include
one as to its height. The bridge
should be at least 35 feet above the
| mean water level, the railroad man
was told, while the plans call for a
bridge something under IA feet
above this level. The chief obstacle
in the way of building such a high
bridge, said Mr.. Holmes. is necessity
of approaches in Bayonne. avenue
A." he said, would have to be raised
and in my opinion, this would not
| be for the public benefit. / believe
that an ordinance for this purpose
might be set aside in the courts. we
| don't want to start building an So
| OOO, 900 bridge with the possibility
of having Il provisions for ap-
%proaches upset"
This contention did not seem to
| have much weight with the board
however, since the railroad coun-
sci was instructed to see what he
| could do toward getting the street
levels adjusted.
Another objection to the plans
was that the width of the draw,
while 200 feet along the bridge. is
| only 1875 feet at right angles to the
banks. This latter width should be
$50 feet, the railroad was informed.
One of the chief problems in con-
nection with the new bridge is that
of so designing it that ice will not
be accumulated so as to block nav
igation in the winter. According to
Commissioner r. G. Jenkinson, OF
the board, If the openings between
the supports of the bridge are wide
enough, no thick ice will be formed
and what does form will be carried
down each day.
The board also want provision
made for 125 openings on the west
side Of the bridge, in case the wal
Department ever opens up a channe
on that side. There is apparently
no objection to this.
The railroad company is in the
position of being ordered by the
War Department to widen the
openings between the supports OF
the bridge. to let the ice through,
I'VE could do this" said Mr.. Holmes
"by putting in steel supports under
the present bridge. We're building
a new bridge on our own lnltla-
tive" -,
The railroad representative SAID
he doubted if the New Jersey Com
mission really has any jurisdictior
in the matter. His idea Is that the
federal authorities control the sit
uation and that the only reason
the New Jersey body must approve
the plans is because the feder
officials require it. THE action OF
this board is really only advisory.
as I see it," he told the poare
members.
Speculation as to the future de.
yeloped when Mr.. Jenkinson tolo
Mr.. Homes, that it is the belief OF
the members of the board that the
day of the bridge is nearly past, anc
that a tunnel may have to be SUP
stituted for the bridge, perhaps In
twenty-five years. LAS navigation
increases" said Mr.. Jenkinson. you
NAV have difficulty in getting your
trains sacross the bridge" Boat!
have the right of way over traln'
where a draw-bridge is concerned Ii
appears. 80,
The railroad lawyer could not Sc
the tunnel proposition in the pres
emf development of electric trains
which, he said. are far from sat,
is~factory. And then a tunnel
would cut off Bayonne.' he SAT-
GLOW about the Pennsylvania tun
mel and Jersey Ctty?' replied Mr
Jenkinson. who did most of the talk
ing. 'The time has gone by wher
we can settle these things for loca
interests. We have got to consider
the necessities Of the whole coun-
try"