The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-01-31

49,
AS a starter. Governors Smith ana
| Silzer agreed to the selection OF three
members from each House Of their
respective Legislatures as commit
tee to confer with the Port Authority
in completing the vehicular tunnel be-
ing bored under the Hudson River.
The first job will be to find means
of raising, without recourse to the
treasures OF either state. $7,00O.OOO
for 1924 work on the tunnel It was
indicated that Port Authority bond
issue would be the means sought
Although the vehicular tunnel was
the principal topic of the session, the
general unanimity of opinion led to
proposals, which were well received.
that the Port Authority also take over
the projected $5.000gO00 bridge from
Tottenville, Staten island, to Perth
Amboy.
This brought from the New Jersey
delegation the statement that they
also contemplated bridge or tunnel
between Bergen County and upper
Manhattan, which the Port Authority
also might undertake.
Richards Contrary
The only opposition to Port Author
| ity completion of the vehicular tun-
nels was voiced by Senator Richards
of New Jersey. Legislators from
down-state might object, he said, be-
cause 1t would be liable to confuse
plans for financing the Delaware River
bridge between Camden and Philadel-
phia
Senator Richards tried to claim that
construction of the tunnel, which was
to have been completed in 1926, was
going forward so rapidly 1t might be
ready before then. Boring was going
ahead at the rate Of 40 feet a day.
he said, instead of the estimated 10
feet.
Governor Smith, who preached the
topic of joint control, quoted the fears
expressed by several OF the conferees
that the Port Authority might have
difficulty in floating a bond issue.
Projects to Earn Money
eve were with men who wanted
to buy such bonds he said These
tunnels will be infants when 1t comes
to connecting New York with New
Jersey. If we let the Port Authority
make rates it will earn enough to
build more tunnels"
Governor Silzer expressed fear
that il the yehicular tubes were turn
ed over to the Port Authority for
completion, his state, relieved of the
necessity of financing that project,
also would refuse to vote the issuance
of bonds for carrying on the Della
ware river bridge, under the New
Jersey Bridge and Tunnel Commits
sion.
81 thought that by giving it to the
Port Authority for operation that the
revenue from the tunnel would help
finance other tunnels and possibly
bridges between the two states" said
Governor Smith.
Il think your judgment in the mat
ter is probably the right one" said
Senator Richards, but l would not
want to bind our state at this time. !"
what has New Jersey got in mind
as to future developments of tunnels
and bridges?o continued Governor
Smith.
Il think we need tGnnel or bridge
| to upper Manhattan answer Sem
ator Richards, "and think it can be
financed by the Legislature"
"The Port Authority should begin
! now making plans for future tunnels
and bridges" said Attorney General
McCran. Mr.. McCran added that the
talk of ventilation in the tunnel might
interfere with the sale of Port .Au-
thority bonds.
Big Bridge to Staten Island
Erection of an Interstate bridge be-
tween Perth Amboy in this state and
Tottenville, Staten Island, to be $3.50
feet long and to cost s5,O00,00O, is
suggested in report by Clifford M.
Holland, chief engineer of the. Jersey
.City-New York vehicle tunnel submit
ted to both houses of the Legislature.
With roadway forty feet wide, it is
estimated the bridge will care for
$4,000. 900 vehicles a year.
A bridge is preferred by Mr.. Hol-
land because ground on both sides
| Of the Arthur Hill is sufficiently high
to give an easy gradient to struc-
ture which would afford clearance
of 1876 feet above the water. This is
( the minimum permitted by the War
Department in the New York port.
The bridge as suggested would be
more than mile and half long.
If start is made this year and
necessary preliminary appropriations
provided, the report stated. the bridge
can be thrown open to the public in
1928 1t is estimated that the cost
i of maintenance and operation would
be 100000 annually. This would be
shared equally by New York and New
/ Jersey.
Issuance of serial bonds bearing AZ
per cent interest and maturing in
4 = l.