New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-15
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
oNNrcTING THE BRIDGE TOWERS.

LSJIAL MlOOELLhN i.
CONNECTING THE BRIDGE TOWERS.
CHEAT ENGINEERING TRIUMPH-DoTH SECTIONS
OF THE TRAVELLER ROPE" RAISED QUICKLY
AND WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST DEVIATION FROM
THE PLANS.
Communication between the New York and
Brookyn Bridge piers was established yesterday morn
Arc nv the stretching OF the first wire rope The event
was announced by the hoisting OF large nag on the
Brooklyn tower, which drew great number OF spec
tators to neghbOrhood of the pier before O'CLOCK
IL was impossible accurately estimate the number OF
persons presen-thought by some to he at least 5000
scatlered "a they were In clusters 80 100 upon the
wharvcs and In the rigging OF vessels. All day they
came and went, and the ordinations which were Ut
tered from time time, often swelling into shouts ae
coyDpanicd by the clappiug of hands ana waving Vi
handkerchief gave evidence OF the admiration oil te
spectators at the completeness OF the arrangements ana
the perfect working of the plans.
On Saturday the rope made Of twisted chrome steel
wires was wound upon drum and placed at te Ioo' u
the Brooklyn tower, the water side, ana the ec eu
was taken up the Opo the tower 70 tss BrooKyh
anchorage pier and there made fast About 0ococKyeS
teray morning the DRUM "recl as 1t is technically
called placed upon OF the bages used for trans
porting stone and the rope dashed fast 20 the mar
low dock which extends along the face OF inc tower
Two steamtugs, the Edward Anna and the May Cinton
then steamed alongside and made fast TO the barge ana
OF exactly $50 began towing 1t toward the New
York side Of the river The men upon the barge at
tended TO the running off of the wire which OF cofsS
sank instantly to the bottom Upon the barge, watch
ing the process Of unreeIing the rope, were O. r. u-
tard, Secretary OF the New-YOrk and Brook
Ign Bridge Company; Master Mechanic H. r
Harrington; First Assistant Engineer Charles h.
Martin; Assistant En- gneer G. W McNulty, ana several
other gentlemen. The passage consumed eight minutes
and the arrival upon the NewYork side was loudly
appauded by the spectators The rope was then taken
from the and cooled upon the dock so as 10 h1hs
the end upon the top of the coil This end was mace last
To hempen rope which had been already attached 10
the reel at the engine house. the opposite side OF the
tower and passed up the tower and down TO the
wharf On the top of the tower the hcmpen rope ana
afterward the wire rope, ran over three grooYed
iron wheels placed upright, and revolving between
two large square tiabers which were DcHei
together and extended from side OF the tower to the
other Two of these Wheels each about foot IN GAM
eter placed in the frame, one at each end The
third wheel SIG feet in diameter, was placed half way
between the outer Wheels holding the rope high in the
middle OF the frame At 1920 o'clock after the two
ropes had been spiced the signal for hosting was gwen
by the firing of a small cannon On the DOCK the drum at
the CT ginehousc revoved, and the hempen rope was
upon it drawing the steel wire 10 the LOFTY pueys
and down again TO the drum, around which II was
wound several times The engine which did this part OF
the hosting q 15hOrse power engine, aud the drum
was turned at the Of so revolutions per minute
taking 10 minutes to draw the wire over the tower
For over an hour the officers, employees, and spcca-
tors were kept waiting until opportunity occurred
when tie stream was sufficiently clear OF vessels TO raise
the wire rope from the water. At 1885 o'clock gun
was fired as double signalo the men on the Brooklyn
side to the laShnSs, and 10 the engineer 10 put MS
engine in motion. Again the dru turned-thls tlne
moved by 30hOrsc power engine making 100 reyou'
lions per minuteand the wire rope began to rise from
the bed of the river In i2 minutes IL appeared ABOVE
tie water at middle Of the river and when Ihe mo-
ceased, the end of five minutes hung from tower
fnxuar alnl ~
which was vessel 10 pass under IT, III mas not
vet been the tension at which IL VIII nc mali
famed when doing its allotted service, but this will be
taken to the anchor pier on this side -
When the first section OF the traveller rope hau mus
uier ia BROOKLYN The drum the eiSlne-OGhe on
The New York side clamp was fastened 10 ~ ny
bolts, about ten feet FROM TIE ground puey Oioek
then made fast 10 the wharf close 10 tne du ad
another the camp, and rope, passed between le!n
several times, made laslng strong enough 70 WIN
the strain OF the wire rope the emu OF WEIGH Was
Immediately loose from the druu and the latter ieI
clear, be used In getting the second Wlle up VINE
this was done the tugs returned with the barge for TIC
second section when hung in readiness down the front
of the Brooklyn tower. At exactly II O'Clock they
started the dock that side and made the "Trip IN
about the same time before Work was then
suspended until after the noon hour had passed
large Tag was then hoised the New York tower AT
3oclock the former process was repeated 70 ge' e wire
a. j:4J O'Clock, IL drawn up out Of the wafer Sig
nails were made with small flags from tower 10 tower,
and the large flags were also used during tue AFTERNOON
The Whole undertaking is said by TIC officers
IN charge of the work, TO have been perfect sue
regarded by OF the greatest TlaGihs in the
history engineering. Both sections OF the traveller
CINE house the wharf TO the anchOragepier and there
ppeed, during the week. Passing around lulleys III
NeN-York and Brooklyn, the traveller VIII form an
endless rOpo by which the other ropes are 70 DC carried
from anchUT-ilef 10 the Other.