Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-06
BRIDGE AGITATION I
BEGAN CENTURY ACD
Today's Celebration Is CuImina.
ton Of Suggestion Made in
1918 to Join Cities
JERSEYITE REVIVED PLAN

l.
In It's beginnings. the Delaua,.
River Bridge dates back more than
hundred years.
The first record Of project 20 sn.,
the river appeared in 1918, whom ~.
New Jersey and later the Pennsylvoni..
Legislatures were petitioned for ns.
mission to build a. bridge. e., ''''
There was no" connection bb,uo.-
this ancient enterprise and tho ss' ,se
mendous modern bridge, one Of s X,
greatest in the world, which Il ia bonas
will span the river by the beginnirs
OF the Sesqui- Centennial.
The bridge plans of hundred yea,,
ago, however. are interesting as A nj,
Of old Philadelphia history. Reai;zsd'
they might have Influenced the deyelon,
ment OF both Pennsylvania and Nav
Jersey. '''w
Smiths Island as Terminal
In. 1918 Ferrand and Sharpc nr,.
posed a bridge to be built. They w,shs,
to build span from Camden TO SMITH.
Island, otherwise known as Windn,,,,
Island, which was n familiar Iandma.s
or watermark--to tho Philadclnbiaa.
OF an older generation. II Inv onnosi,.
the lower city. great hindrancc \,
navigation, and was scooped awnv IN
the early nineties. The bridge Womb
have traversed 2200 feet of tho wsY
leaving the rest to be covered by fs%y,'
riies. The projectors of the scheme ss.
timateed that the bridge. and all else "a.
quired, Including boats, tavern,
stables, four. acres Of ground on N.
nda Island, ETC. would cost about $14O,.
mUo' and annually would earn about
So6.JOO The cost is in striking CON
trast with the S29,O0O.0 900, which the
new bridge will represent.
Thcre was hot fight in Phiadelph,,
hundred years ago over the proposec
bridge. Its opponents argued II WASN'T
worm while to walk part way on n
bridge and ride the rest in boat
The old chronicler's account NJ ,h.
dangers of trip between PhiIpdclnbio
and Camden has it's amusing osnac,"
Smiths Island is now only a mnmor,
nut the difficulties Of crossing tho riyo,
though they have leSsencd in a hundred
yearss have not been removed.
me smiths Island project camc IA
nothihg. For years the enterprise Inv
uornlhnt. Then dozen years oyo
SitTeh or CollingSwood. y. j., tho late
hichard l. Ceilings. interested himself
ana gave his best years and nlnost ,.'
''ilittihg 'nOrtS TO the prof jcCt, For n
yenr he received little cncourapement
put finally interested the Board Of Trco,'
holders of Camden County. Ono h,
one, he stirred up other noiphhor,ny
counties. At last tho New Jersey Joc'
iSlatur", in April. 1914. provided for
the appointment of commission with
power TO construct ono or moro hridoes
OF tunnels under or over n navlpobls
stream or river which is n boundor,
OF the state. Mr.. Ceilings was named
70 inns commission. and served on II
with the exception of n term whom h,
was not rrappointcd. until his death
about year ago.
First Report IN 1913
The New Jersey Commission vos M,
organized fully until 1915. when Il
retained the services Of WnddcIl &
son. consulting engineers. to make a
study. and report on tho Delaware River
crossing. The commission made its
report in 1918. advising against tbc
use of a tunnel, and suggesting bridge
from Arch street, this city, 10 Cooper
street. Camden
Meanwhile Philadelphia had not been
idle. Toward the end of 1914 Civ
Couhcll passed q resolution calling upun
the city'S chief engineer TO mukr a
survey and report George =. Webster,
then chief engineer Of the Burcnu Of
surveys. reported that bridge be-.
tween the two cities would be- prr.
iectly feasible as an engineering feat.
ne rccommcndcd IL high level typc
Orlngc, win no piers projecting beyond
pierhcad lines. u" suggested that 1t
Degin at Fifth and Race streets, this
citS' and run 10 Sixth and Linden
streets, Camden.
Council took its next step when it
passed an ordinance. approved Dcccm.
oer - I"lo, appointing the Directors
ct Works. city Transit and Wharycs
TO net aS joint commission 10 lnvcs.
tlgat" and report on the engineering
and financial aspects of n bridge be-.
tween IT," cities. This rouncilnunic
commission was superseded hv the
pennsylvania State Commission Of
thr"" members. authorized by the Icgs.
Intur" IN July Of 1917.
New Jersey Took the Lead
New Jersey took another progressive
step in lolN. when its Legislature
created III" Interstate Bridge and Tun.
heI commission ana authorized TO pro.
ce"d with the construction of tunnels
and bridges as extensions of the State
highway system.
PemsI Ilvunin and New Jersey Com.
missions joined hands and engaged DR..
Warren l.. Laird, OF the architectural
department Of the University of Penn.
EIvanin, to make preliminary studies
and report on IL suitable location. lie
in November, 1913. recon.
what has been called the Wash.
ngton Square Federal street site.
Uniform legislation was pussrd in
1919 by the Legislatures of both Penn.
'yHnin and New Jersey, creating the
present Delaware River Bridge Joint
Commission, with full power TO pro.
.eed. The Board Of Engineers. In
'hargc of the physical work and It's pre-.
imnaricS, was created by the romInis.
sion in September. 1920. Since that
Time work has proceeded swiftly, 10
hat there Is every reason to believe Il
viii be completed by the Sesqul- Cen.
.nnial opening in 1926.