The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-27
CROSSING BROOKLYN BRTDGE.
Cutting the Lnshinps of the First Wiros
Between the Two Citics.

The engineers of the Brooklyn bridge
were on top Of tho anoh orage on that sIce OF
the river early yesterday, preparing for bis
days work. The nrst work OF the day was to
start the endless cable, known as the working
rope, to which the end OF a new cable. wound
about a large spindle, was tied aud paid out. As
each 0fty feet was unwound the rope was again
ashed with hempen string, and this operation
was kept up for over an hour, until tho new
cable was stretched from one anchor to the
other.
the professional riRgers felt II to be their
right to take further risks on the wires. and the
engineers agreed with them. One Of the riggers
said you know. sir that one Of us would
rather be In boatsns chair aloft than along
side Of Dom Pedro In his coach. We loiko the
work, sir, and we're happiest when we're aloft "
The burgies, or crates, designed foT the men to
make the trip along the wire to cut the lashinga
were rejected by the rieeers new-fanried
things they weren't used to, and they deter
mined to use boatswain's chairs. Harry Supple
was assigned to the cable between the New
York tower and anchorage, Patrick Timbs to
half OF the river section, Thomas Carroll to the
other half, and William Cohne to the Brooklyn
cable between the pier and anchorage.
just before l O'Clock Supple swung into his
scat. The swing was almost a mate TO the one
In which harrington made the trip the day be-
fore, except that the four iopcs met in an iron
shnckle which rode on the cable. A line was
tied to the shackle to prevent too swift de-
scent from the tower to the anchorage as tho
chair was expected to slide down by its own
weight. Supple Kicked his legs hack and forth
to impart a motion to tho shackle, and went
sliding down the cable. with a sharp sheath
knife, as he came to the nrs, lashing. he cut It
To-, a
~ it was made, and he cid hls work In ten
minutes aud half
On the BROOKLYN side william Cohne, who
was To IN ke the trip, took ha seat with great
caution. lie BETRAYED much anxiety, aud seemed
70 doubt whether he ought to make the trio lie
hud himself tied In the chair securely. and had
taken two or three turns on tho rome TO hold
him nrm By looscning the rope he could slide ;
Ly tightening II he could bring himself To "A
siandstill. lie spent at least three minutes AZ
oh lashing. aud reached the BROOKLYN anchor
ege at Al minutes past =. an hopr and SIX
minutes from the timO he swung clear OF tue
anchorage. When he stepped on the solid ma
sonry,he breathe a sigh Of relief
when Patrick limbs swung out In his chair
one ( lhc riscers SAID - Now. Pat. do better
Tor u An right Pat answered. and he
started down the cable over the river att swift
stopped only by the hastings. lie had IL cen
laStlnRs 10 cut In minute aud a half he h d
ing point ana ~ feet from a landing point In
c"5e he should tai About tn, tine lnnmas
Carroll started from the New York tower on ihe
same cable in "a a wain'- cuair. expecting TO
meet limhs IN the middle ot ihe cable over Inc
river ami return To brooklyn with MIN. But
JUS as limbs preferred t. hNvs the bOaiswain's
char swung high. So that his hands could Ue ON
the cable. naturally Carroll piefcri.d To .it low,
with the cable over lis leaA. / runs reason u
she We had heen uei 70 the shncAlc on rrolrs
chair. al hS me ne Of It he sipYcd down the
ctuIe. When iimbs uad icachtG the M ole uf
tte c hle-whicu hc DID in fnar uinutCs and a
hnlf. cnttnI all uf lis lashine~ he louk-d Il gcroes
ana saw Carroll At s,anastill "a d unable to
move. The second wire h d wound srounI tho
working cable. and ,hc iuy BIO X could
not pass between the wires. Tint, then deter
mined 60 90 on, although The res. Of the way he
must ascend an Inclined u n. lie pulled him
seli along huu.h easily, anu kept his CLAIR irum
sliding back ty twisttng the rope around the
cable. lie cut fourteen lsshings more ana
reached Carroll They sgnllied to the New
York tower that c. rrlll WIS stuck. Tho ori2inal
plan To lash the two cLnins tocethcr to pull
them back on he endless cattle could not o
carried out. The New York tower Iiggers tried
o. send roTo tho ehd OF when was tied u
shackie uown the cable. bu, 10 wouldn't gn. "I'll
reach hun said supple. and. taking a turn -
the tole around bis WIS. he threw second
rope on the canlc, gave u a peculiar TWIST around
his BODY, and slipped niMbly Gown the caole,
holding on - his hands. He gave Carroll the
rope, then threw his legs over the c 4blc, ard
climbed back to the tower sailor fashion. lie
hnd onlY his owl rrcn-th tu tr Al to, and e u.
seq ientA incurred more risk an any man VINO
thus t.r ras done ANYTHING noteworthy Oh the
biidgr. Carroll Fastened the line : ppie h-d
gwen him to his tackle, ann tullrd b ck.
limbs lnsned himself tn the working caile. AMI
stgnalicd to hrookhn. lhe rope began to move,
aud he was .uiled along. lie swung his less al
I rnutclN, Us tuuu. Ia IN enjoyment OF his trip,
ami looked up ana down the T.v-r When abuu.
a third of the way, he ftlt a sudden Jrtk, and
saw lie rope had stupued. lie WAS white mo
meht as TIE thought shea across his mind
that there might be break. The belt on the
ehglne wheel had broken, but Tor the twenty
minutes that followed limos was at IA loss TO
know VII the trouble was. At the end of the
time meutioned ther ro.e moved again, aud he
was drawn back to the Brooklyn tower.