The New York herald., 1872-11-18
Facts and Fancies About the
East River Bridge.
A Glimpse from the Top of
the Tower.
How the Future New Yorker Will "Take the
Air"-Something About the Stones, the
Wires and the Workmen-The
Peppers Paradise.

definite as to destination, meant nothing less than
stagger, whirl gasp and plunge to death
down through l40 feet OF space and two seconds
Oh time. The caution came from q rough Irish
laborcr on the summit or the East River Bridge
tower on the Brooklyn side, and was addressed
to HERALD reporter, who, in the opinion OF the
workman, had too much confidence in himself,
rare ~ thing, by the way. among reporters In
these modest days, when men are never 'nter-
viewed" nor anything.
The wind was blowing at the rate or twenty-five
miles an hour, and 1t was not only difficult to stand
in an exposed position on the tower but 1t was
difficult matter to breathe when facing II, and next
to impossible to speak The workmen all wore
caps or soft felt hats drawn down over their ears,
with one or two coats buttoncd to the neck, and in
many instances couple Of pairs Of pants. Every
thing on the tower was armored against the wind,
and there was evident care that nothing should be
carried away by the flying Boreas. A workman's
jacket lying on the coping was kept in place by a
heavy beam OF timber, and q bucket, having no
water in it, was filed with odds and ends
OF iron for fear 1t might be whisked away. And SO
at this great elevation the work of building the
tower goes on with considerable confusion OF
sounds but little o. tongues, for nobody cares to
talk where 1t is so difficult to speak and SO doubtful
whether 1t VIII be heard.
There Is "clinki clnki clink ~ OF the drills In
the adamantine granite, 'whizz" OF steam,
creaking OF the great derricks and rumble OF the
truck wheels and at the rate OF about foot day
the pile OF masonry crawis up into the air, and
overtops everything about it. An iron pulley
wheel revolves under the tension OF
wire rope, and in ten seconds squared
mass-seven tons-0f rock, gray, spcckled
and glittering rides to the top and is re sted on
truck which is rolled under it. Another minute
epV inprv ia Di tcln haya clu toha
great iron arm swings 1t into place with the ap-
parent ease that marks the wave of a lady's fan.
There are stone cutters and masons, drillers and
laborers at work, but there appears to be little
physical labor required Tor machinery and steam
POWER Tna ,n,s are MADE 70 avaapie as lar @ practicable
pletion that 1t affords very lair idea of what the
finished structure will be- and from It's summit q
good idea may be obtained OF
THE VIEW OF THE FUTURE
when the wires OF the bridge are stretched like
vast cobweb, high in air, ana crowds OF people will
fit across it to admire the scenery OF the rivers
the bay and the trio of cities From It's present
lao feet 81 elevation splendid panorama unrolls
eye first seeks the great city. 1t is matter OF in
tense curiosity to know what blrds-eye view OF
st PORTION % Of New YORK. brooklyn Hs aaa jersey
D s ths S1d range nc 'es 1soa
Is limited. This Is owing to the elevated nature OF
certain portions Of the citys surface in these al
parts But look to the west, southwest and south,
In any event the most varied and attractive points,
aud there is every desirable feature of land and
waterscape. Housetops cease to bear the dignity
OF elevations, and the large warehouses that line
the river front on the Brooklyn shore look like
splendid areas OF red-painted iron. Fulton
street crawls sinuously away up the hill
Gables and cornces and Furman Street looks wa 1ik
canal the street cars being very fair counterfeits
OF canal boats, so nat and depressed 10 they ap-
pear. Looking more closely to the base OF the
DECKS OF HUNDRED SHIPS
lay so near, apparently, that might toss
chestnut into the galley fires, and the Navy Yard,
with the Old frigate Vermont, seems only a couple
of hundred yards along the docks. In 'front.' rolls
the river, eddying fcaming, swirling in the brisk
wind, and the white wings OF ship going out to
sea seem but an arms reach below as she scuds
with spray under her bows, past the granite mOnu
Of the coping. the Fulton ferryboats glide
through the neets OF tugboats. yachts, yawis,
barges, scho0ners canal boats, steamers and punts.
that ply with ceaseless change Of position over the
ernor's Island sits almost nat among the waves
that roll up with the tide through Buttcrmilk
Channel and dash their white caps along the Bat
MORE PLEASING VIEW
OF Governors Island has ever been found than that
afforded from the tower. or course there Is no
clear cut rearing outline OF fort and foliage against
the tine Sus Of ne sS an3 e
in with great emerald OF grass and trees,
streaked here and there with the neat gray lines OF
barracks and the ridges OF earthworks OF Fort
johnson, and in the not remote distance those two
smaller islets, Bedloe's and Ellls seem almost to
noat about and change position, SO lightly do they
rest among the ripples The Jersey shore lies low
and blue along the near horizon and crawls away
wooded crests of the Staten Island hills and seems
lost In the sea at the Highlands at Navesink But
POETRY OF THE PICTURE.
In 'front.' where the eyes OF the spectator
first rest lies g. the lS. heart OF the great me.
Fourteenth street distinctly, even obtrusivey, vis
BILE: The fringe Of shipping with It's Jungle Of masts
shore, the most noticeable break in the line being
where the bridgetowcr on the New York side rears
Behind this Is the maze Of masonry which goes to
make up New York. Walls, spires roofs, s,turrets Gu
poas, windows gables, front walls, rear walls, OF
wood, iron, brick stone and marble, seem crushed
together In strange confusion, and the only wonder
Is whether there really are any streets and
materials. Just over the tops OF ali these, a
pleasing relief to so sombrc congomeratlon
f Ser naFd s Of a's tie North ns svel gntns nsn he s
brick and mortar streak of Jersey City and the
dark, rich background OF the Bergen Heights, pleas
antly dotted with white suburban homes. Ii Is but
narrow streak OF the North River that is visible;
but 1t serves admirably to relieve the brlcky
nctness the tongue OF land that lies In the rivers
mouths aud bears on It's surface the Empire City Of
STRANGE MURKY AIR
hanging over all these houses which even the pre-.
vailing strong wind seems unable to bear away,
doubtless because the causes which bring about.
that murkiness are always operating.
But a time Is coming-and, judging from the
way ia which work is being pushed, It is coming
fast-when New Workers will be able to take run
across the bridge to see the city and the bay and
get fresh ar ana st to Their own ,S stsac
when the observer Is not too close to witness
the delormttes. And to one class especially the
bridge promises to be u rare luxury-to wit, the
class who take pleasure In peeping into their
neighbors' windows AMI tack yards. The prospect
TO these will be truly delightful.
II Is not at all difficult now, even for persons
with less lively lmaginations than the modern
newspaper reporter IL terroneousy) supposed to
possess, to imagine the
SIXTEEN HUNDRED FEET OF WIRE THREApwoRK
which will constitute the .'bridge," already
stretched across the river CO the airy height Of lis
feet TO the roadbed. Passengers by the ferry to
Brooklyn will have noticed the deep cuts beween n
the faaks OF the towers which are to form the
rcadways, and hundreds no doubt fancy that these
passages are rather narrow, but they only neea to
stand In thcm TO De convinced that they are really
t.rAn trof IN vUor In fa