Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-04-26
HIGHWAY BOARD
NAMES EXPERT
Hunter to Act in Consulting
and Designing Expert,
Board Decides
WAS SOME OPPOSITION
Engineer Mead Has Already
Designed Span Over Rari-
tan River Here
WAS SOME OPPOSITION

IhEN lON, Apfli Zb--CfdfeucE
w. Hudson. of Montclair. was ap-
proved by the State Highway Com
mission at its meeting here yesfer-
day 70 he the consulting and de-
signing engineer of the new Perth
Amboy bridge over the Raritan
river. The amount of his compensa
ton. which has been the subject Of
some newspaper criticism during
the past few days, is TO he fixed,
along with an agreement as 10 his
services. at a conference which Mr.
Hudson, Chairman George L. Bar
ton. of South River and Thomas +.
Collins. of Elizabeth. members Of
the commission. together with State
Highway Engineer Thomas j. VAS
ser, are TO hold for this purpose. The
agreement is then to be referred
back to the entire commission for
action.
Commissioner George Paddock. OF
Newark, at the meeting yesterday.
opposed the hiring of Mr.. Hudson
for other than consulting engineer
on the ground that plans for the
construction and design of the
bridge have already been made BY
| Charles A. Mead. bridge engineer OF
+. the department. and that it would
| be an unnecessary expense TO en-
gage Hudson for -des5ani
work. The motion to engage the en-
gineer was made by Commissioner
Ferris. of Jersey City. after COM
munlcation was read from High
way Engineer Wasser 10 the effect
that the engineer should he named
speedily.
The employment of a designing
engineer for the project of the mag
nitude of this bridge is fully repaid
in the economic design that can be
worked out by a man of wide ex-
perience. Nothing done 10 date will
be lost. as it would be necessary for
the department TO furnish the infor-
nation already obtained"
Mr.. Wasser then stated that as the
approaches 10 the proposed srruc-
ture have already been worked cut
| by Mr.. Mead and re-checked BY
outside engineers. that phase Of the
work would not have to he repeated
by the designing engineer. The
! highway engineer concluded by rec
ommending the selection of Ciar-
ence W. Hudson as both consulting
an ddesigning engineer for the plans
as they relate to the bridge proper
that is. between the abutments of
the approaches
| The fee for this engineer. who is
/ recommended by the American So
ciety, of Civil Engineers. is per
cent. of the contract. 1nasmuch AS
the total cost of the work win be
around s4.000.0o0. II is estimated
that Hudson would receive at this
rate something like s250.000- How
ever. the elimination of the ar
proach cut of SS0O.00 of the cost
Mr.. Paddock did not object TO the
| fee, which Is the regular ethicsl
4 rrfca for biph class er,oi,aaavs
he did oppose was the engaging Of
\ the man as designing engineer. He
held that as consulting engineer he
could render proper service in chs !
/ ing the plans OF construction as they
/ proceeded.
4 Mr.. Burton said that Hudson is an
/ exceptionally high class man and
/ that he thought il perfectly proper
10 engage him as designing engineer
as the commission ought to have bis
advice on all the important matters
pertaining to the building OF the
| bridge. Mr.. Ferris said that II
good engineer was 10 be engaged the
state highway department would
have to pay the fee he asked
"It makes quite a differences as
10 the amount Of money we have %
| pay commented Mr.. Paddeek
again.
Commissioner Duffy said that tie
/ commission ought 10 engage COM
I petent engineer 10 advise on the
/ work in order that it should feel
/ protected as TO the correctness OF
l the plans prepared. Mr.. Paddock
| wanted to suggest an amendment 10
4 the motion hiring Hudson 10 the ef-
/ feet that it not be considered as en-
gaging him until his contract is I'm
/ ally drawn and signed. This sus-
gestion was not carried out and
/ when the motion 10 hire was put K
was carried with only Paddock sof-
| ing in the negative.
/ The commissioners decided yes
! terday TO visit the Perth Amboy apr.
proach to the bridge next MondaT
afternoon at 2:s0. They viii meet
in the Packer House in that city for
this purpose and go over the right of
4 way which is now under discussion
At yesterdays meeting the feet pro-
/ vided for the right of way were III
creased from 10 to 1s0. OF this
amount SIS will be on one side ~
the north approach and Is On TIE.
! other. The bridge itself VIII b< 9V
! feet wide, of which 81 feet Will ~ l1<
j vehicles and six and one-haH 4<e<
on each side reserved Tor D>4
trians-
Mr.. Mead announced that -
plans for the approaches viii ~
ready now in six weeks for 44xz<~
tisinx. Two months 1fter that In
plans for the river foundations W1Il
he ready and two monthe ft11x ~
the plans for the river superst1sz-
ture.