The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-17
TIE BROOKLYN BRIDGE.


Water Finished-The Now York Tower
Present Condition OF tho Entcrpriss.
The New York R<ldge Company has progressed In
their enterprise to the point Of commencing the
erection OF the stone work on the tower above hgA
water mark on this side Of the East river, at the
place where 1t was left on when the caisson was
sunk to Its permanent location. Monday afternoon.
at one O'Clock, body Of mas0ns commenced 70
labor ut this branch OF the great work. and 1t Ii the
intention Of tho engineers to prosecute 1t vfgor-
Ousy and lose no time In having Brooklyn and this
city connected by wire cable roadway, which Win
be In fact when completed one Of the greatest en-
cheering successes OF the tme This week will SEQ
the last OF the work under water finished. There
only remains space Of six or seven cubic yards
now to be filed up at the foundation, and the two
open shafts eight feet in diameter, used for
communication from the surface to be at once
closed up and made sold like the surrounding struc-
ture. The air-pumping machinery. consisting OF
thirteen engines, each Of twenty horse power are
to be removed without delay, their services being
no longer required. The two large engines en-,
ployed for hOisting the debris from the bottom 81
the river were removed on Saturday last. All thai
will be retained is the machinery for hosting and
handling the material to DO used for building the
tower. The wharves are to be Immediately cleared
and arranged for the rapid prosecution OF the ma
son work. Derricks are to be placed In position,
car tracks laid and the most expeditions means
adopted for landing the granite as 1t arrives RON
the coast or Maine. The Brooklyn bridge Is now IN
q fair way towards completion.
THE TOWERS.
Now that the New York tower Is about to rise above
tho waters Of the East River the people Of the tive
cities Will acquire increased confidence In the carp
realization OF work considered essential TO their
side has reached the height OF los feet above high
water mark and rests upon solid founda ion: Tho
work has made more progress there owing to de-
lays IN obtaining possession OF the property at the
foot OF Roosevelt street. and also on account OF the
directors not wishing to incur the expense OF dup
eating the machinery required in sinking the calls
sons. At point fifteen feet above the present
the road bed OF the bridge, and from this upwards
will be erected structure $50 feet high OF solid
masonry, divided into three sc columns and Tvs
the columns and be stretched at point 1920 feet
above the water. The same arrangement will exists
WORK UNDER WATER.
TO such Of the general public as might imagine
been done on the New York tower, Mr. Roebling,
the Chief Engineer states that the quantity OF
water is equal to the entire masonry OF the Brook
lyn tower visible to-day above the water line.
Der in the way Of excavations at the bed Of tns
river. In the month Of May, before satisfactory
foundation was reached at depth Of seventy eight
confined only to the small area covered by the old
pier 20, but were extended over the remaining pOr.
ton OF the foundation as soon as the adjacent ferry
slips were vacated The results showed an extreme
difference In the level of the bed rock of twelve feet,
the hole OF the least depth touching rock at eighty
feet below high water and the deepest at ninety
two feet The immediate river bed consisted Of
legs and loose dock stones followed by sticky
black clay. Next came gravel and quicksand the
latter varying from fifteen to twenty feet until the
solid or rock foundation was reached.
THE CAISsON.
In September last the casson was towed from
the Atlantic basin to its final resting place. While
and concrete had been built upon 1t. ALI the after
seams were caulked and protected by felt, tin and
creOsOted sheatlng. The various pipes, shafts and
locks were also carried up the necessary height.
When the caisson was brought over 1t was twelve
feet thick on which ten feet Of woodwork as stated
feet high making the entire height thrtyfour feet.
1t contains twenty-five feet OF timber as solid az
ship carpenters tools can make It, above the roof OF
the air chamber seven courses more tnan the Brook
Ign calsson. II Is twice strong as Its Brooklyn
brother. At q depth of seventy-eight feet and o
load its back OF 900 TONS the slightest sign
Of.weakness has been discovered. In this cOnnec-
tion it may he remarked that there is nothing bet.
ter established in engineering than the durability OF
wood under water 1t Is removed from the action
OF air. and unlike stone, Is not subject TO disnte-
grafton.
But now the air chamber Is filed with material
cement composed chiefly OF sand and gravel, to
gether with stones, have been crowded into the
feet high The concrete for filling the chamber was
all mixed above and let down through the supply
shafts ready for distribution below No brick pill
lars were used, under the Brooklyn caissOn, the
bearings or the frames being so wide as to be equal
to all contingencies when once uniformly packed
under with concrete. The stones earth and sand
left In the caisson during the sinking were suiicent
to I'LL One-third OF the space. At one time there
were four gangs OF men, sixty each, employed
under water. Yesterday the number so engaged
was only three men, and their work Will be closed
up tomorrow or alter.
DEATHS AMONG THE LABORERs.
The deaths that have occurred among the lab0rera
engaged at work In the caissOn have been fire.
quently referred to by the press. AS many as coo
men have been employed at one time, and out of
TINS number, In the course OF seven months, i've
died. The effects OF the compressed air on tho
men, 1t was known at first, would be serious, and
only lew hours labor were required to be per-
remedies kept at hand to be used Ia Of neces-
sity. 1t Is claimed by the engineers, Colonel Paine
and Mr.. CollingwOod, who superntended the work
below, that only In two Instances was death caused
IL certain that persons not possessing sound
constitutions were exposed to imminent dan
ger While working under water. Scarcely
any man escaped without being some
what affected by Intense pains In his limbs or
bones or by temporary paralysis of arms and legs;
but they all got over 1t, either by suffering for few
days outside or by applying The risky mode OF re-
turning into the caissOn at once as soon as tho
pains manifested themselves. All this Is now over.
and the very remarkable matter OF men working
forty feet under the bottom OF the river will totally
before the week closes. Ordinary street
gas, manufactured on the wharf, was used for
Illumination, and an ingenious mechanical tele.
graph, cOntrivcd by Colonel Paine, proved of great
the upper and lower world The mas0ns, who COM
menced work on Monday, will lay four feet OF granite
each week over the entire tower 1t will be 100
feet high exclusive OF superstructure.
vANDERBILT's BR0THERIN-LAw INDICTED.
Crawford's Shooting at Henderson,, the
Police observation-disclosures Found