HEARING BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE SEVENTY-FOURTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 1645 A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION OF A COMMISSION TO EX- JERSEY S. 3030 A BILL GRANTING THE CONSENT OF CONGRESS TO THE ROCK- 14292 AUGUST 12, 1935 Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1935 Cont. 10-30-35- Frankland, Frederick H., chief engineer, North River Bridge Co., New Gallagher, Edward, counsel for the Port of New York Authority, Kenney, Edwin A. (Hon.), a Representative in Congress from the Ninth Congressional District of the State of New Jersey- Lindenthal, Gustav, president and chief engineer of the North River O'Connell, Joseph J., Jr., attorney for the Public Works Administra- Reeves, Glenn S., engineer of port development, representing the Port Schroeder, Rudolph, associate counsel of the North River Bridge Co__ Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the States of New York and New Roper, Daniel C., Secretary of Commerce, Washington, D. C--. Woodring, Harry H., Acting Secretary of War, Washington, D. C---- Averell, William H., vice president of the Bear Mountain Bridge Co_ Gerrity, Harry J., representing the American Toll Bridge Association, Shinkle, A. Clifford, representing the American Toll Bridge Associa- 101 Dern, George H., Secretary of War, Washington, D. C‒‒‒‒‒ 112 Shinkle, A. Clifford, president American Toll Bridge Association, Cin- 110 Wilson, M. L., Acting Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C___ HUDSON RIVER BRIDGES MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1935 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a. m., in the committee room, Capitol, Senator Morris Sheppard presiding. Present: Senators Sheppard (chairman), Murphy, and Vandenberg. Senator SHEPPARD. The next bill on the calendar this morning is S. 1645, to provide for the creation of a commission to examine into and report the clear height above the water of the bridge authorized to be constructed over the Hudson River from Fifth-Seventh Street, New York, to New Jersey. The bill will be inserted in the record at this point. (The bill S. 1645 is as follows:) [S. 1645, 74th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To provide for the creation of a Commission to examine into and report the clear height above the water of the bridge authorized to be constructed over the Hudson River from Fifty-seventh Street, New York, to New Jersey Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby established a Commission to be known as "the Hudson River Bridge Commission" (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission") and to be composed of five members to be appointed by the President, one from the Corps of Engineers of the United States Army, one from the United States Navy, one from the Interstate Commerce Commission, one from the Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce, and one from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Said Commission hereby established shall meet from time to time after appointment and examine the subject of clear height above the water of the superstructure of the bridge which the North River Bridge Company is authorized to build over the Hudson River under Act of Congress (ch. 669, 18891890, Fifty-first Congress, and Public Act Numbered 350, Sixty-seventh Congress) with a view to determine scientifically from information in the files of the War Department and from any additional information and facts which the Commission may obtain, such height as it shall deem necessary for security of navigation of the largest ocean ships under the bridge, located at Fiftyseventh Street, New York, and at the same time permit the low grade necessary for the most economical operation of railroad trains over the bridge and approaches thereto for the purpose of facilitating interstate commerce thereover, taking into consideration modern progress in ship and railroad construction and operation, and also taking into consideration modern methods of lowering and telescopig masts on ships passing under bridges. This Commission shall report its finding within sixty days, after appointment of the members thereof, with reasons therefor, to the Secretary of War, who is thereupon authorized and directed to approve within ten days after receipt of such report the clear height of the bridge above the water recommended by the Commission. Necessary travel, subsistence, and clerical expense, not exceeding $1,000, shall be allowed the members of the Commission, and the sum of $1,000 is hereby appropriated for such purpose to be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury on vouchers signed by the member of the Commission appointed from the Corps of Engineers of the United States Army. 1 |