The New York herald., 1876-12-18
THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

AN INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR viNToN, OF
COLUMBIA coLLEGE-THE HERALD FULLY
INDoRsED.
The interview in yesterdays HERALD with Mr. Albert
Hill on the specifications tho wire contract for the
Brooklyn Bridge has created considerable cxcitemeni
among engineers and others interested in mathemat
les. The attack made by Mr.. Hill mere suppo
sion, but clear and lucid argument backed up BY
figures that could not be controvered The question
was freely discussed during the morning, and people
evidently satisfied that Mr. Hill had brought TO
light some glaring that required immediate In
vestgation, as it would be ridiculous 10 let contrac,
through specifications fundamenta Incorrect
With view to obtaining the very highest scientific
opinion M Hill's statement HERALp reporter
paid visit yesterday afternoon to General Francis
vinton, Professor OF Mining and Civil Engineering
School OF Mines, Columbia College, and graduate Of
the United States Military Academy and Eeoe Imper
ale des Mines, Paris. The reporter found the Pro-
fessor at home in his bachelor quarters
a the Racket Club, and after apologzing him for
making business call on Sunday, The following
versatlon ensued:-
PROFESSOR vIxTox's VIEWS
REPoRTER-I have cnlled to ask you, Professor Vim.
ton, II you have read The Interview with Nj. Albert
Hill in this mornings HERALD
Professor viSros-I have read the article. and, with
the specifications before me- have investigated ths
matter with care carefully studying each point, SO
on The points TO which Mr.. Hin takes exception.
REPoRrEk-Wi you kindly give the HERALD your
opinion upon Mr.. Hiil's work and state whether you
believe his deductions correctY
Professor yiSrox-Whh regard to the lrst point,
which touches on the use OF peculiar formula for the
cross section Of the wire, | will say tnat be
made OF the formula gwen In the spscincatons but
IRON that OF wire No s. full Birm ingham gauge be.
the formula used is based upon the density OF
the gwen Steel which is variable, while Mr.. Hills
formula is a formula Of constants only
KEPoRTER-What do you think oil Mr. Hills state.
ment as 10 the ultimate breaking strength?
MR. IL ISDoRsED.
Professor VINroN-l agree perfectly With Mr. H;lps
analysis on that po'nt and freely admit that the true
breaking strength oil awire No. ., full Birmingham
gauge, IS 600 pounds
REroRrER-Now regard to the 'totai stretch"
What are your views on that pointf
Professor VISToN-I must admit that after reading
the specifications there to me to be absolute
incompatibty In the requirements as 10 stretch that
presented in different portions Of that document.
had thought AT first that thcrc must have beer
some error that might have arisen In the printing.
The formula Mr. Hill has used IL which the engineert
own modulus Is applied, is believe the only correct
formula and that tho stretch determined thererom 10
the stretch that is demanded IN paragraph OF the
specifications whereas under the head OF tests
tirely different and snguary discrepant stretch do
manded. There also seems 10 me 10 be some typo
graphical in the hgurcs In the printed interview
in the HERALD, but not IN the location OF symbols in
the formula which entirely correct and in accord
with any treatise havo ever for the de-
termination OF q stretch under tensile strain.