Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-06-07
PLEADS
FOR HIS PLAN
OF BascuIe Type Bridge to be
Erected Over the Raritan
River Here
BEFORE ROAD BOARD
Wants His Plan Considered
Was Opposed by Burton
When on Commission

TRENTON. June About the
time the Highway Probe Commit
tee, through Senator Richards, of
Atlantic county, was quizZiug
George L. Burton here this week on
the attempt of a certain portion Of
the old road commission to name
LOUIS B. Strauss. of Chicago, as the
designer for the new Amboy bridge.
Strauss himself was standing be-
fore the new highway commission
pleading for the consideration of his
patented plans by the present board
Burton was the commissioner who
led the fight against the Strauss
Bascule type of bridge, declaring
that the best interests of the state
would not be served by the adoption
of this style, because it was too
expensive, and also because he
wanted Gustave Lindenthal. a New
Jersey resident. or some other engi-
nee- living in this state to do the
work. On Tuesday at the hearing of
the probe committee. Senator Rich
ards brought out that Burton had
been disseminated against and had
ineu red the displeasure of some Of
those in the highway department
who favored the securing of Strauss.
Mr.. Strauss on the same afternoon
wts telling new road commission
thai the Strauss -Bascule type Of
bridge is both economical and tho
fact that it is a patented design
ought not to initiate against its
chances with the present highw ~
board Strauss had prepared some
of the detail plans for the Amboy
bridge up to early in 1922. when the
plan to hire him was halted through
Burton's opposition. plus the SUP
po of Col. W. F. Whittemore and
several other commissioners. Since
tha+ time there has been pending
before road department a bill for
those preliminary plans. amounting
to about $1,000
Willing to Forget Claim
Graciously. the head of the
Strauss -Bascule Bridge Company
when he appeared before the new
commission this week said he was
willing to forget that claim. But ne
wanted the commission to give his
patented plans g chance and pro-
duced information to illustrate their
advantage. He contended this is 4
cheaper type of bridge and claimed
the bascule bridges have saved the
city of Chicago 100000. At the
present time he said there are 235
tion in this country.
Strauss had a claim against the
state for designs and improvements
to the Albany Street Bridge at New
Brunswick which it was decided TO
settle for $4,000 and the engineer
said he would also accept the a.
mount fixed by the commission for
four minor bridges built on the
state highway system. The present
commission has taken a stand a.
gainst all patented materials and the
question of patented bridges, is,
therefore, now before it for a de-
cision, too.
The Highway Commission this
week awarded the contract for Sec
tion 10. Route 9. of the state high
way system. on Lincoln avenue,
Bound Brook. to John Dorer. of
Irvington. His bid, the lowest was
10S per cent of the engineers es-
innate, s162,152. Charles T. Kava-
naugh, of Bayonne. was given the
contract for Route 4, Section 10,
Sea Girt to Belmar. He bid 99.47 per
cent of the engineers estimate,
which was Sis, 36S. Both improve
ments are to be Of re-enforced con-
crete.
Gloucester county has been given
permission to advertise for bids for
amiesite. sheet asphalt and topeka
pavements for the work it plans TO
do on the crown point road, that
county.