The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-28
OUR GREAT RIVERs CROSSED.
The Suspension Bridges, the Biackwelps
Island Bridge. and the Tunnel.


The two days adventures on the wires
that have been thrown over the East River recall
TO the enRineers some OF the dangers 10 max
ing other bridges. Engineer Burlington, who
helped build the Niagara bridge. says that while
there were three cables reaching across the
river, hanging loose, one Sunday a workman
named Bennett, while under the influence of
liquor, walked across from tower to tower upon
one OF these cables, holding another cable by
bis hands. A high wind blew, and as the man
neared the middle the cables swayed fearfully,
and those on shore expected to see him fall.
The cable upon which he was walking sassed
considerably at the middle OF the span, so that
he could hardly reach the one above, his hold
Of which his life depended upon. The cables
swayed In opposite directions, so that the man
was often thrown from his balance. Then he
held py feet and hands. stretched from one
cable to another in almost horizontal position.
But he chung TO the cables, and by little
less than a miracle got safely 10 the opposite
shore.
While the Cincinnati bridge was In process Of
construction. In the Presidency OF Andrew
johnson, the President, Cabinet, aud army
OFF GERS, among whom was Gen. Grant, took an
excursio ON up the ONO. Chief Engineer Roeb-
ling conceived plan Of salutiDg the party. lie
sent workman named Carroll to the middle OF
the span upon DOatswain's chair with an
American flag and a bottle Of whiskey. when
the steamer was directly beneath, Carroll was
President and his companions. Carroll reached
the desired point safely with fiaR aud whiskey
oottle' anu, as the steamer appIohcheu, niieu
ri ~ that he mad taken along Ia oruer To do tue
thing IN a proper manner. But the glass. the
bottle. and the nag were more than lie could
manage, nd the bottle slipped from his grasp
and falling. struck tue deck Of the steamer
withiu a lew feet Of where Gen. Grant stood.
The proposed Hudson ryer bridge at An
thongs Nose. above Peekskiil, Is to be 1,685 feet
between towers. aud Is 10 Ue LOO ieet ABOVE the
rahl md nj "a mi of faal wiz md
will be strong enough " uphold X,OO1 tons.
The towers are to be Of wrought iron, with
granite foundation piers; tue cables anu back
stays Of the best steel, in links and Plus, not
wires. The rest Of the work IL to be Of wrought
iron OF the best quality. Tue anchorage aud
foundations are IN sphd rock. Inc Driuge VIII
not eucroach upon the waterway OF tue river at
all, and cannot for moment III erfefe with
navigation. work Is soon to be begun ON II.
Tue ljlackwel's Island bridge Is to be uf;y feet
wide, ana the structure. with It's approaches,
will extend from Third avenue TO n correspond
ing distance on the other side Of the river. The
TO dway will be continued across backweii's
Island at a height Of about l4O feet above tue
present level. Tue height OF the stone piers
above high water to tue level Is to be 10 feet
and the height of the towers above the piers
will be about $50 feet. Tue span Of the east
channel is TO be coo feet, ana that OF the west
channel Will be go feet. GA tue Astoria side
tue approach will Oe carried along the centre Of
an avenue $50 feet wide.
The hudson river tunnel and its approaches,
to DO built ~ accompany with $lO,UC,UO CAPT.
tai, from Jersey City 10 New fors, Is 10 he 2OOO
feet long The greatest depth Of water under
which the tunnel Is to DO bored is a
little over sixty feet. The borings snow that
the soil through which the tunnel Will pass Is
favorable for tunnel construction. The tunnel
walls Will be constructed " hard brick and ce-
meut, three feet in thickness, circular IN form,
twenty six feet n wiuth, and twenty Tour feet
In height, with double track railway.
The 49, ooklyn bridge 10 to have the long
est single span Of any bridge In the world.
The span between the river abutments IL l 800
feet. In "Aurrsy's Hand Book VI France" u
bridge Is noticed crossing The DordOgne at Cub
sac, ON the road between Tours and Bordeaux,
having single sgan between aoutments u LAO
feet. In other respects, however, the French
bridge bears no comparison with the American.