The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-15
The Brooklyn Bridge.

A New York paper, speaking of tho
East River Bridge, says TINT the pres
sure OF Air in the caisson now building i
thirty pounds to the square inch, OF
twice the ordinary atmospheric pressure
Once in the lock and the entrance closed
IL becomes necessary to have an cqua
amount Of pressure before the door into
the caisson can be opened To this end
air is forced into the lock until the rigAt
pressure is reached.
Between twenty and thirty men are at
work in the chambers. The lowest point
reached in the excavations is within nine
feet Of the bed OF the rock. The aver.
age depth OF the sand, however, is about
fifteen feet Already boulders OF trap
rock are found imbedded in the quick.
sand these are broken up and hoisted
ont by means Of m apparatus similar to
a dredging.machinc, working in huge
shaft filled with water. Tho men work
in relays or watches, each "watch y
remaining in the caisson for three hours.
Working ia that compressed atmosphere
hNs its disadvantages, and the mon com,
plain Of cramps sometimes, which, iudg-
ing from their description, must be very
painful, as one Of tho men likcned il ia
" tearin' tho flesh from yer leg" The
low, dim-Eghted chambers, filed with
mist, the shining pools Of water, and the
men toiling in the flaming gas'light
amid the rushing, rumbling noise Of til,
sand syphons, combine to mako an in
tcresting scene not easily forgotten
"Try and whistle, suggested the con
ductor Of tho party, and try they did
hut without success. Fucker their lips
and blow rs hard as they could, no soun,
approaching a whistle can be produced
The voice, too, lind n strange, unnatu
raj sound, nS though uttered in higl
key, all due to the compressed atmos
phere.
The interior Of the sidcg of the cai8sol
slopes outward, not unlike tho lips OF nj
enormous bell. In fact, the working o
the structure is upon nearly the snmr
principle MS that Of n diving.bell, th,
pressure Of the mir keeping ont tho wa
ter When tho bed rock is reached, aut
tho caisson fairly settled upon it, the in
terror will be filed with concrete ant
masonry.
Twenty courses Of stone llavo beer
laid upon the caisson, and the work i
being pushed forward rs rapidly rs pos
Sible. AT present the work ~ somowla
retarded for lack Of stone, which cal
not be supplied fact enough. Th
Company hnS expended 81, 100000
This includes the amount paid for righ
OF way. They have on hand materia
amounting to nearly S350,00O Foul
hundred thousand dollars lias been ex
pended for lumber. and $l2O, 600 for ma
Chinory. Itis worthy Of remark that tht
Company haying tho stone contract Of
fered $40, 0O0 10 be released from thoil
contract. This offer tho Company de
clinod, believing That they could no
make such advantageous terms else
where.
Doubts have been expressed as to the
stability Of 80 huge structure. In re.
gard to this point, the superintendent
states that the opinions of the most dis.
tinguished engineers have been sought
upon tho subject, aud they fully indorsC
the plans. II llas been thought by some
that it would be necessary to build u
pier in the middle OF the river. This
would be impossible, from the fact that
Congress would never permit it, and
even il it wero built vessels would be
constantly carried against it by the force
of the current and injured, and the
Company continually involved in suits
for damages. A wind travelling ut the
rate OF sixty miles M hour, which is an
extreme case, would not sway the bridge,
even at its great elevation. 1t is cx-
pected that steam cars will run across
the bridge at the ratio OF twenty miles
all llour. The entirc cost OF the struc-
ture, when completed, is estimated at
$40 100000. This is thought to be mn
outside figure.