New-York tribune., 1868-12-30
TILE Est RLHER BEIDCE

fasterD Rapidly rs the American people have
dipmcd the luster Of former achievements oil me-
cb3ncll genius in the glory of more recent trumphs
of constructive skill are about to witness new
proof that in the life of the nation. as IN that OF IN
dvduals all that has been done is but the prepai-
tory education for what can now be done. Inc
invention of the steam-engnO by Watt,
prepared the way for the steamboat
bv Fulton. The discovery Of the identity OF lightn-
ing and electricity by Franklin led to the telegraph
by Morse Rocbline's beautiful suspension bridge at
Niagara must in like manner have preceded bis
present plan for uniting the fourth metropolis IN
the world with the third city Of the Union by one OF
the most magnificent architectural structures Oh al
time and more stupcndOus erection III It's lhe thah
has ever yet been conceived or executed. MI
Roebliug has furnished design for the Last ILVer
Bridge which is now open for inspection.
Toward ITS erection on this plan' the Common
Council of the City of Brooklyn have voted TO take
$3.OOOOOO Of the Companys stock ON the same terms
as other shareholders, and the Board Of Councimen
of this citv Yesterday voted to subscribe SjOO0OO
We believe the bridge will be built. 1t Will take
rank among the wonders Of the world. In utility
H. ranks with the few first works Of ancient or
modern times-the aqueducts of Rome the dykes
of Holland and our own great railroads. In mag
nitude beauty and the honor 1t will confer on It's
bn,lders as a people who cultivate and honor high
art il will Use signal and solitary IN It's preeml-
nence. like the Parthenon at Rome the Colossus
at Rhodes. or the Pyramids. As never before IN
tho worlds history have there been two so large
cities thus welded and welded together IN their
populations and interests, yet physically sepaiaeu
by SO noble channel of water, 50 there could never
until now be the need the opportunity fora stfuc-
ture so grand and graceful Had there BEEN 1t Is
doubtful if it could until a very recent date have
been constructed In total length, 1892 feet thS
structure Will surpass the famed bridge erected by
the Emperor Tmjan over the Danube, ana Whch was
burned by the Emperor Hadrian out OF envy at the
Immortality it bad conferred on his predecessor
and ambition 10 bc as long remembered ior It's do-
struction as 1raan for its erection But that was o
wood resting on 20 stone turrets, l3O feet IN
birLt and l,O feet apart. while this spans, IN
the clear, distance Of 1900 feet at hight midway
of 1870 feet. with bridge 80 feet wide capable OF sus
tanning 5000 tuus. The Suspension Bridge at Mag
ara /, .ij feet above tho water aud is estimated TO
be capable Of holding 1900 tuns but Is span IS only
s2l feet or but about half that of the East
River Bridge The Victoria tubular iron
bridge of Montreal which has heretofore been
the wonder of American architecture, exceeds
il in mere length and weight beng $500 feet long,
and capable of holding 1900 tuns. IL, however
rests upon II piers or solid abutments, aud IS OF
moderate hight. thus lacking the gigantic span and
piddy altitude which will form the impressive fca-
lures of tho East River Bridge. The Britannia
Wroucht-Iron Bridge, which crosses the Mena
Straits. and Through which runs the Chester ana
Hollyhead Railway, at "A hight OF lo5 ieet was
erected by the great Stephenson. 1t IS l.o'o icet
long but is divided into four spans, two of 20 feet
cb and two Of 80 feot each 1t lacks 320 feet of
HI D. ..tt If Ina = sfNar
Bridge. and makes four spans instead Of one. The
Wheeling Bridge over the Ohio, which blew down in
MAY. 1851. had a span Of loo feet Waterloo Bridge
at London is 2iO feet in length, and is sustained by
nine eliptical granite arches. The High Bridge over
the Harlem River has total length of 1850 feet;
tLe top of the parapet s IA feet above high water
and it is sus aimed by II semi-circuar arches.
Comparing all these figures with those
Of the proposed East River Bridge
we find that taking all its features into account, the
great hight the enormous span, the sodity and
strength required for the vast burden of travel 1t
must bear it is not only unequaed but unriyaled
bv any past achievement in bridge architecture. All
that has hitherto been done this field Of art only
serves to demonstrate that this can be done
The two suspending towers on which the main
cables are hung are 2G3 feet above high tide, which
GO feet higher than the spire of St Pauls from its
basel II feet higher than Bunker-llill Monument,
and lacks only 81 feet of being high as the steepe
of Trinity Church As the level of the bridge is just
half way between the surface of the water and the
SUBMITS of the towers, the structure will be brought
into commanding view, as the,eadng feature Of the
landscape. from almost any point on the upper or
lower bay the East River, or Long Island Sound.
where the two cities sight Travellers arriving
ON our shores will recognize in its magnificent and
,c,i Nsftnlp pt
and projecting genius of our people 1t will symbol
izc at once'union and courage wealth aud enterprise
industry and art, strength and grace.
The suspending towers on which the bridge mainly
rests will be of stone. That the Brooklyn side
will be built in the river, the shore at the north
end of the depot of the Fulton Ferry. The Newlork
tower will be erected at the end of Pier No. %
filling most of the space between ROosevet-st Ferry
and Pier No 9s. A glance at the map will show that
from about the junction of Fulton and Main-sts
Brooklyn over the points marked for these towers
Chatham-s,.. at Tryon Row. in the City of New-lork.
is straight air line This is the line aud length of
the bridge. The cables which pass over the towers
and upon which the bridge hangs are anchored at
two structures of solid masonry, between the start
ing point of the Bridge each side and tho towers
The anchor walls in Brooklyn cover the alley known
as Jamcs-st. between Fulton, York, and Alain-sts.
The anchor walls in Ncwiork are on the
north side of Doyer-st. betw Cherry and Water
ss The roadway of the bridge starts at the foot of
Sands-st. Brooklyn, for little parallel 10
the casery side of Fulton-st., taking OFT half the
block there fronting on Sands and Fulton, down to
the head of AIain.s where il turns 10 the left and
starts OH aniarline toward the Court House IN
New-York City. The total length between the
termini mt Sands-st.. Brooklyn and Chatham-st..
NowYork, is 3,S62 feet The New-lork ap-
proach is 14Il feet in length, on an
ascending grade of ii00 feet 10 every 100 feet of
disance nntll il reaches the toMer. Tie length 0f