The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-09-27
A PERILOUS POSITION.

A PERILOUS POSITION.
Crossing the East Rtvor on n Wire Tw'
Hundred and seventy.Six Feet iron
tho Water.
The man daring enough to be the frs
to cross the East river on the wlr'
stretched from New York to Brooklyn
says the Sun, was Edwin F. Harrington
he is master mechanic, and. it is said
has no peer in the putting together o.
the wire work of suspension bridges
He gained a reputation at Niagara an6
Cincinnati in the construction of bridges
he is about fifty years of age, and is al
brave as lion.
The working rope is endless, reaching
from pier to pier, and is $500 feet II
length. It is the longest single belt con
Meeting machinery in the world. A
"boatswain's chair" not unlike an ordi'
nary little swing used by children, was
attached to the wire. The board seat is
about two feet long and eight inches
wide, and the ropes were less than four
feet long and joined close together around
the wire at the top. Mr.. Harrington
wore tight fitting buckskin gloves, and
when he took his seat his grip on the
cable was firm. Then he folded his arms
around the ropes, and the red flags on
the Brooklyn and New York towers were
waved, and the wire began again to re.
volve. A gun was fred on the New
York side and Mr.. harrington was on
his perilous ride to the Brooklyn tower
from the anchorage. The people in the
streets and on the housetops, near the
Fulton ferry, Justify cheered, and MIR.
Harrington swung his hat and waved
kisses to the ladies. He took his watch
and noted the time. Five minutes after
ward he approached the tower. Then
he was standing in his seat. This, MIR.
Martin, who was experimenting the en-
gine, explained, was the only point at
tended with peril, and he felt some an1-
iety about the working of tho engine,
for, in case it went too rapid, the chair
might be dragged over the pulleys and
its occupant thrown out. He watched
the signal man an1iously, and when he
learned that the chair was within ten
feet of the tower he stopped the engine.
Then he ordered it to work very slowly,
and to stop again as the chair touched
the tower. His caution led to most
perfect result.
Mr.. harrington was touching the
granite pier when the engine stopped. Ho
was pale, and mis- lips quivered. he
held tight to the cable. Daring work
men reached for him, and he was drawn
upon the pier. He trembled somewhat,
but said that he was not nervous. He
shook hands and spoke to the bystand-
ers, one OF whom encouragingly said :
"Well, old boy, you carry your life in
your hand in crossing that river. I
wouldn't make that trip for million
dollars"
The little swing or boatswain's chair
was made fast to the cable on the river
side of the pier. Mr.. Harrington said
that he was ready to start. He stroked
his short gray beard, and looked
curiously at those about him, and then
with real bravery and much nimbleness
he swung over the side of the tower and
clutched the ropes Of the chair. he
waved his hand. The spectators cheered,
the red flags were held aloft, and the
Journey across the river was begun.
All the ferryboats, tugboats, and
steamers in the river set up screech-
ing. Every pilot seemed Simultaneous
ly to have seen Mr.. Harrington on the
wire. Some of the ferryboats were
stopped in the middle of the river, and
the ladies on the boats, on the piers,
and on the housetops franticaly shook
their handkerchiefs. Men and boys
shouted and swung their hats, and Mr..
harrington, seemingly enjoying his ride,
held bis handkerchief to the breeze.
When near the center of the crossing he
clapped his hands, and seemed immense
ly pleased. While nearing the New
York pier the wire was bent so that the
trip was almost perpendicular, and Mr..
Harrington stood in his seat, and was
Thus safely carried to the top, and the
first man who crossed tue great bridge
WAS greeted with terrific cheers. The
trip from pier to pier was made in si1
minutes and forty-fiva seconds. The
ride from the New York pier to the
anchorage was accomplished in four min
ures. Mr.. Harrington said he had de.
lightful ride. Many persons applied at
the bridge company's Office for permis'
sion to cross in the same chair used by
Mr.. harrington. His trip was merely to
satisfy the public that the wire is se-
cure. He was the first to cross the Gin
cinuati bridge and also the Niagara one.
This is the only unbusiness venture In
the work of the bridge, and the other
trips are to be made for useful purposes.
A new working rope is to be lashed to
the upper cable and pulled across, as
was the boatswain's chair. After it IS
stretched from anchorage to anchorage,
two buggies, one from New York, the
other from the Brooklyn tower, are to
be started down the rope to the anchor
ages. Each will descend by its own
weight, and as it goes the workmen in
side of it will cut the lashings, thus free
ing the working wire. This done, the
bugpies are to be returned to the two
towers, and adjusted to the cables in the
same way. They will descend to the
middle Of the stream, from opposite di-
rections, by their own weight, and the
lashings will be cut as they go. They
will meet in the center OF the
river-it is hoped without q violent
collision, as there will be nothing to re-
strain them in their course. The men
in the buggies are to lash them together,
and then tie them firmly to the endless
cable. They are then to swing the new
wire free, and are to be pulled to the
Brooklyn tower by working the endless
rope.
Who he Found.
The Chicago Tribune has intercepted
a letter sent by Stanley in Africa to the