either approve or veto the same, on the
30th day of April, 1890. It may be safely assumed that the members of
the legislature which passed this law knew what was necessary for the
protection of the commerce of the city of New York and had informed
themselves concerning the plan of a bridge that should be built in view
of all the interests concerned.

By paragraph 24 of the law creating this company it is provided that
"the said bridge shall be constructed with a single span over the entire
river between towers or piers located between the span and the existing
pier-head lines in either State," and that "no pier or tower or other
obstruction of a permanent character shall be placed or built in the
river between said towers or piers under this act."

In view of such professional judgment, and considering the interests
which would be interfered with by the location of piers in the river,
and having due regard to the judgment of the legislature of the State
of New York, it seems to me that a plan necessitating the use of piers
in the bed of the river should be avoided. The question of increased
expense of construction or the compromise of conflicting interests
should not outweigh the other important considerations involved.

I notice the bill provides that the companies availing themselves of
its privileges shall receive no greater pay for transporting the mails
across the bridge than is allowed per mile to railroads using the same.
If this is intended, as the language seems to import, to authorize this
bridge company to charge the United States Government a toll for the
carriage of its mails across the bridge equal to the amount which may
be paid per mile by the Government for carrying the mails by railroads
crossing the bridge, it seems to me it should not be allowed. The
expense to the Government for carrying the mails over the structure
should beyond any doubt be limited to the compensation paid the
railroads for transportation.

An exceedingly important objection to the bill remains to be considered.
In 1890 the North River Bridge Company was incorporated by an act of
Congress for the purpose of constructing a bridge across the North
River, the New York terminus of which was located at or near
Twenty-third street in the city of New York. The proposition to
construct the bridge at that point was a subject very carefully and
thoroughly examined at that time and during the agitation of the project
for a number of year