Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-23
STREET
BRIDGE ACTION
Drastic Move by Federal Gov
ernment Threatened in
FROM U. S. ARMY
Conference Will be Held Next
Week to Plan for Future
Action

NEW BRUNSWICK, March "a
Unless immediate action is taken by
the Board of Freeholders in repair
ing the draw bridge over Wood
bridge creek on outer State street,
Perth Amboy, SO that it will not
be an obstruction to traffic, drastic
action in enforcing the navigation
laws will be taken by the federal
war department, according to a no.
tice served on the freeholders yes
terday.
This bridge has been the source
of considerable discussion among
the freeholders since the first of the
year and while the entire member
ship of the board is in favor of put
ting the bridge in the proper shape
vast difference of opinion prevails
regarding what is to be done though
in the meantime the bridge has gone
unrepaired, causing numerous COM
plants from shipping interests.
That Mr.. Quackenbush's plan for
keeping the structure in proper op-
Grafton is the feasable one, was to i
certain extent indicated yesterday,
when the subject was under discus
sion by the members of the county
Public Service Street Railway Com
pany.
Following a report of the condi-
ton of the bridge submitted by
County Engineer Frederick c.
Schneider, which indicated that j,
might be necessary to close the
bridge to traffic for three or four
days to permit of a closer inspection
of the structure, Fl. C. Donaker of
the trolley company asserted that the
only answer to the question would
probably be in the erection of new
bridge.
This view was also shared by Di-
rector William S. Dey, who declar-
ed that the present structure was not
built to carry the heavy trucks and
trolley cars that now pass over it,
though he attributed the delapidat-
ed condition of the bridge to the
strains imposed on the center piers
by the passing of ears over the ex-
treme sides of the bridge. Mr.. Dey
pointed out that the heavy loads
passing over the bridge caused a
tendency to tilt to either side on
account of the weakness of the CEN
ter pier with the consequent wear
to the turning mechanism.
Early in the year Freeholder Wal
ter r. Quackenbush advocated the
building of a modern lift span in
place of the present antiquated swing
draw, but his suggestion was not
received with approval by the other
members of the board, who CONT nd
ed that the erection of such a bridge
would saddle a useless expense on
the county, when satisfactory repairs
could be made at a much smaller
cost.
The present condition of the
bridge according to the engineers
req ort is only known in a general
way, and a complete inspection Will
be made at 10 o'clock next Wednes-
day morning to learn if it will be
advisable to erect a new bridge or
provide for repairs.
That the centre and pier and
northern abutments shift wita the
rising and falling of the tide has
been fairly well agreed on, and a
firm foundation for the swing span
will have to be provided no matter
what course is decided on. Wirhin
the past few days angle irons form
ing a part of the framing of the
bridge have broken and will have to
be replaced together with other
structural members, if repairs are
decided on.
Mr.. Donaker was questioned by
the board members as to the COM
panies responsibility in furaishins
power for the operation of the draw
in accordance with the funds or
their franchise. This subject proved
a rather interesting point as the
trolley company representative ad-
mitted their duty in supply power
for the swinging of the bridge,
though at the same time he brought
out the fact that the county had
never provided the motor in when
the current would be used.
The bridge is at the present time
operated by man power, though the
of the trolley COM
pany asserted that the Obligations
provided for in the franchise Woulu
be met whenever conditions were
made possible for them to do SO.
The Importance OF prompt action
in the matter is realized py the
county fathers, who agreed that inn
mediate steps must be taken 20
prevent a recurrence of the maay
that have been made
recently and following. the inspection
to be made next week, it is expected
that a definite stand will be taken
in the matter.
The order from the government
follows closely a complaint made
against the holding up of oil barges
with cargoes to pe displayed at
plants along Woodbridge creek.
These complaints may be the basis
for damage claims against the
according to, information
received during the past few weeks.
(Continued on page 80