The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-05-21
The East RiUer Bfidge-T II e
Greatest Project Offhe .age.

The project of Mr. Roebling, the famous
engineer and suspension bridge builder, for
uniting New York and Brooklyn by span
ming the East river, has been approved by
the commission appointed to examine it,
and it is said that the work will be ct once
commenced. The first operations will be
upon the Brooklyn side, near the Fulton
I Ferry, where the excavations will be nine
ty seven feet, down to the rock upon which
the foundations of the abutment towers
will be laid. Digginglon the New York
side will Immediately follow, near Pier 20
East river. Rock is there found at one
hundred and seven foot. The new bridge
will be q striking and graceful feature
of the surrounding scenery. Its proper
tion will be colossal. The entire length will
be $500 feet, or about a mile and one-ninth
but these figures may vary slight
ly when the termini become finally settled.
The New York terminus will be- either on
Chatham street, opposite the Registers Of
flee, or in Chatham Square, The terminus
in Brooklyn will be near the junction of
Main anil Fulton streets. The structure
will thus overtop many houses which are
situated upon the slope towards the river
on each side. 1t will be suspended in
three openings, two of which will be on
land, and one, of 1000 feet over the water
The floor will be both fire and waterproof,
and will serve as a roof to the houses and
stores beneath. Its width will be eighty
feet within the ratings, equal to Broad
way, and will be divided into five spaces
marked by six lines ofiron trusses, indepen-
IDENTITY of a sidewalk of six feet on each
side.
AS the new bridge will weigh 3,4S3 tons,
being far moro than twice as heavy and
wide as any other structure of the kind in
existence, the jar upon it will be scarcely
perceptible, and the most violent winds will
be powerless against it. Its weight in the
day time will be perpetually augmented by
more or less cars, carts, animals, and hu-
man beings. The maximum weight of
these, if covering the entire surface, would
be, 1870 tons, but an average of about 400
tons may be calculated on. Two passen-
ger trains of cars upon steel rails will run
backward and forward over the bridge al
ternately They will be attached to an end.
less wire rope, propelled by a stationary
engine on the Brooklyn side. Their speed
may be at twenty or thirty miles an hour
without injury to the structure The
height of the bridge above high tide will
be 1870 feet, and vessels, the upper masts of
which exceed that measurement, will be
required to lower them in passing, which
can be easily done. Prominent features of
the work will be the towers on each side
of the river. Their length at the base will
be one hundred and thirty -four feet, and
extreme width fifty-six feet. Their height
to the roof will be two hundred and six
ty eight feet, at which point the length
will be reduced to one hundred and TWEEN
ty feet, and the width to forty feet
The estimated cost of the bridge is to be
$6,675,357, without the purchase of. real
estate on either side. 1t will perhaps, be
nearer $7,000,000. Ofthis $4,000, 900 have
been raised-$3, 100000 by the Brooklyn
Common Council $1,500,000 by that of
New York, and 100000 by private SUBJ
scription. When the work will have be-
come far advanced, through the expendi-
ture of 5000, 900, it will be easy to issue
bonds for the remaining sum needed.
The Union Ferry Company are now
transporting 100000 perons annually
across the East river Ore gsg fsf \