The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1926-03-11
GRAND JURY
APPROVES ACT
Bucks County To Take
Over Negg Hope
Greek Bridge
Bridge Problem Gradually Being
Solved


Boro Council, headed by President
Fred B. Whiteley, and a delegation
of other interested citizens went
before the Bucks County Grand Jury
at Doylestown yesterday and secur-
ed the County's maintenance of the
Great Spring Greek Bridge at Huff
nagle. A jury of view had already
approved the taking over of the
bridge by the County at an inspec-
ton last December. This approval
had already been passed on to the
Grand Jury, and the local delegation
was present to urge that the recon-
mendation be made legal.
Several years ago a similar jury
of view recommended that the
County take over this bridge, but
the Grand Jury failed to approve
the recommendation. The nearby con-
crete bridge at the Silk Mill is al
ready maintained by the County. The
other bridge has been in bad state
of repair, and was closed to traffic
several weeks last fall at the same
time the bridges were closed on
South Main street at the creek ard
canal.
The County Commissioners have
already approved taking over the
South Main street bridge at the
mill creek, and had let tenta-
tive contract for its replacement
with concrete structure. But due
to objections raised by l.. A. Brown
proprietor of the mill, who claimed
that his water supply would be
affected, the plans were dropped for
the time being.
In the meantime hearing before
the State Waterways Commission
brought decision from that body
that the new bridge would not in
terfere with the water supply, but
that in the erection of the new
span the clearing of the creek bed
necessary to the construction
would open the way for an even
greater stream of water. There was
some talk that Mr.. Brown would
seek an injunction against the new
bridge, but it is to be hoped that
the greater public interest will be
considered 50 that The bridge can
be erected as soon as weather per-
mits. 1t has been pointed out by
those conversant with water power
that the mill pond needs dredging,
and that if that were done there
could be no question about the flow
of water.
The lower Main street bridge over
the canal, while kept in passahle re-
pair, is woefully inadequate to the
traffic it has to carry. The Boro
Council has been seeking to have
this bridge improved and widenad.
But it is owned and maintained by
the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Com
pany, and at present suit is pend
ing in the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court to force them to provide
structures adequate to modern traf-
fc. Thus, pending a decision, the
canal bridges are being kept in a
meagre state of repair.
Boro Council had State High
way representative inspect this
bridge, and he pointed out that with
the dscontinuance of the trolley the
bridge could be widened to take in
the structure formerly used by the
trolley tracks. The bridge at pres
ent is only 16 feet wide But by
taking in the trolley track girders
it could be made 30 feet wide. II
this course is followed, it will have
to be Immediately, for the trolley
company has sold all their roadbed
equipment, and the balance of it is
to be removed as junk in the
spring.
The same problem of canal own
ership confronts the Council in the
problem of the concrete bridge
over the canal at Bridge street. This
structure is also too narrow for
modern traffic, and provides a men
ace to pedestrians because of the
lack Of a separate footwalk. 1t is
proposed to provide footwalk
along the outside lower wall of the
bridge, connecting the sidewalks
which already run up to that point.
Borough President Whitley re-
ceived a letter this week from w.
H. Connell, engineering executive
for the Highway Department, in
which he says that action in this
case also depends on the opinion
handed down by the Supreme Court
in the case now pending against the
Canal Company, and affecting all
the bridges on the canal
Rabbit Run Bridge, while not
within the boro limits, and thus
outside the jurisdiction of the Coun-
Gil, is also a menace to public ira
vel. Repeated efforts have been
made by both local and state Of
ficials to force the Canal Company
to build a new bridge at this point
But nothing can be done until the
above mentioned decision is reached
However, State Treasurer Lewis
who is keenly interested in the
Court decision, recently informed us
that State officials were optimistic
in believing that the Canal Com
pany would be forced to maintain
their bridges and rebuild them as
occasion demanded.
The Lehigh Coal & Navigation
Company is not actually the owner
of the canal, but they operate il
under a lease from Pennsylvania
Continued on fourth pagel