Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-11-02
cpr,TFST BRIDGE OF ALL AGES
AIMED FOX NEW YORK.

.,,--.~r the Hudson from the centel
- \s. York City 10 Weehawken, n
y-! be. with its connections and
.s---.-sls. the most stupendous en-.
,.-a.r-r work yet undertaken, sur.
- IN that respect and also in final
-. o.. Panama Canal" according
g.--essntatiye Ernest Alderman,
-, \.a Jersey. The plans call for a
sing. scan of 5000 feet, without q
s.~r. ~.er in the river, hung on four
;,-~-.r-. cables suspended from
,.r~-.r., towers 6S5 feet high, or l3C
Co., u.rrsr than the famed Washing
ton monument.
The bridge will contain 10000 tons
of steel. which is twice as much as
N al the five well-known East River
BRIDGES combined, and which far ex-
cee5S the tonnage of steel in all the
existing Bridges spanning the Ohio,
Missouri and Mississippi Rivers COM
bnei
The Hudson River bridge will con-
rain more than ten times the tonnage
Of the stupendous Quebec Bridge, in
Canada. which is the longest span in
North America and which took seven
teen wears to build. 1t would contain
thirty times as much steel as there is
in the great Brooklyn Bridge, hailed
for many years as the greatest work
of man. and would require ten times
the tonnage of steel in the Scotch
bridge over the Firth of Forth, the
largest steel bridge in the world.
These and other breath-taking facts
concerning the proposed construction,
the authority for which is included in
a bill now pending before Congress,
are contained in Mr.. Ackerman's re-
marks printed in the Congressional
Record as a part of the record Of de-
bate on the bill in tine House of Repre-
sentatyes The bill was before the
House on adjournment, September p.
In return for the immense cost, the
great amount of labor and engineering
involved and the Is years estimated
as the minimum time required to build
the gigantic bridge, Congressman Ack-
erman presented many advantages to
be derived
Automobiles and motor trucks would
be able to cross from New York to
New Jersey in few minutes instead
of being held up for hours as is now
the case.
A saving in the cost Of delivery and
a certainty of supplies, fuel, food and
other necessities to the metropolis
would result.
Reduction in shipping costs to and
from the port of New York, and con-
sequent henttit to the nations COM
merce, would follow.
Thorough rail connections from the
north, south, east and west would be
possible, as railroad tracks would &C.
cupy one level of the structure, thus
giving greater speed and convenience
OF travel with elimination of some un-
necessary costs.
Besides allowing for greater bust
ness expansion and home building in
Ne" Jersey and along the Hudson, the
bridge would offer in time of war an
important element of safety and eff
cheney.
The history of the efforts to con-
SFuct the bridge goes as far back as
Io'o' when an act incorporating a
company to build the bridge was ap-
proved.
Inc bridge is not to cost the fed
eraI government cent. II is to he
erected by the same engineers who
ou''' the Hell Gate Arch bridge, with
m"'hIeS raised by the States of New
'o'N and New Jersey. The only fed
e'a' Participation is in authorizing its
erection over tide water, which is
u"1er government control.
Litigation, injunction and other fac
WIS nave prevented actual construc-
w" since 1890. Work was started on
.'' New Jersey foundations in 1893,
~. 1' persons living in the vicinity stop
.r, 49, "''h with an injunction, COM
,1''''nE o' the noises of drills and
D.'S"ae The money panic of that
.. NV, also mad hand in stopping the
s..., '.. 'eIore railroad finances had
r ,.'e' -'"n ten years had elapsed.
~, '". world War caused another
'''y. but row, it was said. every
"'"R IS ready to 60 ahead.