The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-07

roadway 81 the street may 10 reduced 10 twelve feet
The grders may be either plate lattice Or any suita
bic form OF truss and shall not be continuous over
more than two spans Upon every track there
shall be two continuous longitudinal stringers OF
sufficient size, Of the best quality ana knd q timber
suitable for the purpose The joints OF such longi-
tudnal strngers shall be scared and boed and such
srngers shall be securely fastened to every support on
which they rest, 10 tic the structure firmly To-
gether and give it stiffness in longitudinal direction
This requirement may be fulfilled either by longitudinal
srngers under the rails or BY safety guards Of timber
Il made TO comply with the above conditions.
The material used for that part Of the structure above
the ground shall be wrought iron or steel except that
the connections between the posts which form cluster
column may be OF cast iron and except the rails which
shall be OF Steel and except the ties longitudinal
slringers supporting the rails which shall be Of the
best quality and kind Of selected timber. Tho safety
guards If of wood, shall be OF the best quality and
KIND OF timber Wood shall not be placed in any posi-
ton where II may not be readily renewed without in
terrupting travel on the road
The wrought iron shall be Of the following general
characer:-Tough, highly hbrous and Of a quality
which shall be in every respect equal to that
nrst class American iron railway bridges
NO part OF the structure shall be subjected to greater
strain OF tension or compression than 900 pounds 10
the square inch; and part shall be subjected to
greater shearng strain than 500 pounds the square
inch and the structure shall not be proporoned FOR
less moving load than pounds per ineal foot for
each track.
The maximum detection OF any girder under the pas
sage OF train shall exceed eflteen hundredh
(ll5OOl OF It's length. The plates composing the long
tudnal parts of column girder shall be IN single
pieces except the case of girder OF more than forty
feet in length All rivets shall be OF double refined
iron which shall have ultimate tensile strength Of
go 600 pounds to the square inch The rvet holes shall
be truly and accurately opposite each other, and the
rives shall enter the holes without drifting forcing
and shall fill the holes All parts which make up the
section OF column, except where cluster columns
used, shall be OF equal thickness and uniform quality.
The strength of the columns shall be proportioned by
Gordons formula for the ratio OF the diameter to the
length, with i've factor Of safety. The different
parts Of the structure and their connections shall be
properly proportional TO resist all the momentum of
the which can by the application brakes or in
10 ia
foundations for the columns shall consist Of brickwork
stonework concrete. The masonry Tor foundations,
where the span Is fifty feet shall measure at least four
and oneha feet square upon the top at least six feet
square at the bottom, shall be at least four feet in
depth and shall rest upon two thick blocks OF granite or
other tagging, three feet by sixso as to make base
for the masonry not less than six feet square When
the span than ty feet the dimensions OF the
foundations shall be larger, I'D when the span IS less
than fifty feet tho dimensions of the foundations may
be smaller but the foundations must in every case,
have as much stability relative TO load as Is above re-
CURED
The earth is to be prepared for this masonry by be-
ing made firm and solid, and covered with bed of
good hydraulic mortar Every column post shall be
secured to the masonry by means of heavy plate Of
cast iron, proportoned to distribute the weight
which comes upon 1t uniformly over the foundation;
this plate shall be fastened by sufficiently strong
wrought iron bolts passing through the masonrythe
bolts having heads which shall be upset and not
welded, and Having washers OF Sufficient size beneath
the stones above named and Immersed in the bottom
bed of hydraulic mortar. The cast iron plate its
nections with the column the wrought iron bolts aud
Jneir neauS ana washers shall possess sufficient
strength 70 receive and resist equally well with the col
umn, all strains which can come upon the latter The
cast iron shall be of the best quality suitable for
bed plates which are to be covered under ground and
all casting shall be sound and fair All the iron work
beneath the surface Of the street shall be covered with
hydraulic mortar in some way protected from rust
Good hydraulic cement shall be used in the masonry
and Portland cement of the first quality shall be used
in case the foundations are constructed Of If
bricks are used they shall be hard burnt and of the
best quality The foundations where necessary shall
be Increased in area so that in no case shall weight
greater than 900 pounds to the square upon
any base All wrought iron work shall receive coat
OF metallic paint and oil before leaving the shop and
Immediately after erection shall receive at least two
coats OF good paint All parts OF the structure shall
where practicable be made accessible for the purpose
of painting and shall be well protected from where
not accessible Efficient safety guards shall be pro-
vded so that in of accident the cars shall be
efTectuay prevented from leaving the structure The
best form OF continuous brakes, arranged be
under the control OF the engineer, shall be applied to
all trains and every in each tram Every switch
shall be of such design that, If left open placed
wrong 1t cannot break the main track or offer any i'm
pedment which may the derament Of passing
train. Rails shall be of Steel not less in weight than
fifty pounds per neal yard they shall be laid and
fastened in the best regards security level
and paralelism and great attention must be given to
the rail joints The railway must be equipped with the
most approved system Of signals to guard against acct
dents and there shall be the necessary telegraph aud
signal devices Stations shall be so ar
ranged to be convenient Of from the street.
There shall be steps tother than those leading from
the street, ss any other projections about stations
which persons can trip or stumble The plat
forms OF stations shall DO level with the platform
OF the cars, and nothing shall intervene between plat
form and the That must be stepped enter
car. Each station shall have ample space, under
cover, to accommodate the passengers. Where two
rows Of authorized and either row is placed
in the roadway Of the street, the columns shall be
erected in pairs, and both columns Of each pair shall
stand in line upon line at right angles to the direction
of the length of the street The all parts OF
the stations except the PLATFORM doors, windows and
be and ID stairs sne
be protected by substantial iron railing
Every axle shall be of steel of quality best
suited TO the purpose and shall be subjected TO
such tests and safeguards and be OF such dimensions
usual IN first class railway practice. Every
Wheel whether of a car locomotive or tender shall
have tire of steel OF the best quality and suited
TO the purpose and shall be turned on the tread The
wheels shall be fitted with the best known means OF
deadening NOISE and preventing jars. Authority IS
given for construction OF such supports, turnouts,
switches, sdings connections landing places stations
buildings, Platforms stairways, elevators telegraph
and signal devices and such other requisite appliances
upon the route or routes and in the location deter
mined by the Commissioners shall be proper for the
purpose OF rapid transit railways and shall be neces
sary TO the requirements OF the travelling public
All car axles shall be provided with the best devices
used in railway practice to catch the axles and
prevent them from getting adrft in OF fracture
The structure shall present substantial and tasteful
appearance On River street westerly from Fourth
avenue, and Eighth avenue northerly
from l55th street. the railway may be
constructed as surface railroad upon
the grade Of the street, 1t shall be double track
All Of the materials used in the construction of the
work shall be Of the best quality for the purposes for
whchbey to be applied, and the work shall be
ecuted in the best style OF the arts and in workman
like 1t is the intention and spirit Of these
specifications TO provide in every respect for first
class structure and no omission Of specific require
ments TO this effect II any exist shall in any be
strued in any way to nvadate this general requirement.
The specifications extend the time for the completion
by the
NEW YORK ELEVATED RAILWAY COMPANY
Of their portion OF the road the time specified in
the resolutions Of August p as follows:-
Eight months the line from the Battery to East
Fifty ninth street. via the side and six months
from Fty ninth street to the Harlem River The com
pany is also compelled to special at reduced
rates. the accommodation Of the aborng classes,
morning and evening
THE GILBERT COMPANY
ordered to so modify their plan Of construction that
shall conform to the general specifications above laid
down. The following clause authorizes extension
Of time for the construction Of the road under