Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-06-19

Adverse Report Made
on Memorial Bridge
Advisory Committee Recon-
mends Some Other Site for
Memorial to Soldiers

TERNTON. June 1s.-If the State
Highway. Commission follows its
Amboy bridge advisory boards opin-
ion. 1t is probable that the plans for
making the new structure war
memorial will not materialize. That
was the situation here today follow
ling the action of the advisers yester-
day in coming to the conclusion that
the proposed new span from Perth
Amboy to South Amboy Is not an
appropriate one for architectural
establishment. that the surround
ings and approaches are. not fitting
for memorial OF this type. that it
Is too late to alter the plans al
ready made and would cost too much
to do so.
This in a word was the almost
unanimous opinion of the advisory
board in session here yesterday after
nearly two hours Of discussion. The
session was presided over by Gen
eral Hugh L. Scott. chairman of the
board and also head of the highway
commission. Those who participated
included well known engineers and
architects of this state and New
York. They included Clarence w.
Hudson. of New York. the engineer
who designed the plans now being
worked out: Sherley w. Morgan, of
the Princeton architectural depart
ment; B. H. Davis. of Hoboken, de-
signer of the Wilmington Memorial
Bridge; James o. Bettel, architect,
of Newark: James Otis Post. New
York architect: Allan b. Mills, state
architect; Joseph Van Week. Mont
clair. and Major William G.. Sloan,
state highway engineer. S
The conssnsus Of opinion was that
shorter bridge. sonnething more
concise In structure. should be made
the war memorial as q lasting tribute
to New Jerseys heroes in the world
war. 1t was suggested that possibly
something around Princeton or at a
pretty spot at Kingston, near Prince
ton. on the Lincoln Highway. might
be the appropriate place for bridge
of the memorial type. A report
along these lines will be presented to
the entire highway commission with
suggestion that the legislature be
asked to authorize such a project.
The keynote of this thought was
struck by Mr.. Van Week and 1t was
echoed generally by the other MEM
bers Of the board present. with the
exception of Messrs. Davis ani Post.
Mr.. Van Week thought the rev Am
boy Bridge would be hard to treat
in monumental way. The draw
span might be redesigned.s but for
the lateness. with a caisson already
sunk and the steel work being pre-
pared for construction. lie di5 not
believe public money spent already
ought to be thrown away. He
thought 1t possible to put the me-
mortal effect on the approaches by
the addition of columns and trees
to add dignity. or there might be a
gala or exposition plan adopted. This
idea would embrace decorating .he
draw span with flags on Sundays and
holidays and possibly on electric sisn
at each end telling the purpose to
which the bridge had been dedicated.
"As monument to our soldier
dead 1t ought to, be truly beautiful
and the work the best artists of the
country can do" said Mr.. Week.
IA proper setting for such a struc-
ture would be on the Delaware River
for instance or over the Raritan
further up"
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