The New York herald., 1876-12-30
THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE.
THE FALLAcIoUs WIRE TEsrs-MR. HILL ON
PROFESSOR rHURsroN's OPINION.

THE rALLAcIoUs WIRE TEsrs-ME. HILL ON
PROFESSOR THURsroN's OPINION.
A reporter called upon Mr.. Albert Hi!l at his ONCE
in Fulton street. yesterday, to learn whether he lad
any reply to make TO Professor Thurston statements
in reference 10 the testing OF the wires for the East
River Bridge, as published In letter 10 the HERALD
on Wednesday last s.You know. Mr.. Hiil." said tho
reporter ..that whereas you have criticised very
verely the specilc for the wres the Professor
says that in his opinion they SIMPLY admirable. ~
ii have no desre" replied the gentleman, 10 enter
INTO any with Professor Thurston; nor do
consider myself the guardian oil has powers OF appre.
ciation. Al the same time would like to call atten-
ton 10 this fact The Professor referring TO the speci-
ncatons, says
ASSUMING auhenscal in It's details, and ,hs.
Inconsistencies affecting 10 certain extent the position Of
metal 10 be rejected J have never seen its equal
snow, this translated into plain English means
assuming that II everything Is perfect or that what
ever is not now perfect shall be made perfect herea
ter, those specifications are admirable. So far,
fully agree with Professor Ihurston. The only dinor-
between US lies III the iact that have assumed
nothing but have proved that ariihmctical accuracy
does not exist these spccincatious and that the
inconsistencies pointed out by me cannot be removed
at least not without involving the Bridge Company
or, in other words, the taxpayers OF the two cities
who are virtually the Bridge Company-in expensive
litigation.
WHERE THE ERROR LIES.
believe Professor fhurston did not fully and thor
Ouguy Investigate the points AZ Issue. III ne VIII 90
so lecl confident that lie Will not only perceive The
errors pointed out by me, but that he Will moreover
arrive at the conclusion that have not yet exposed all
the errors contained in them. He even now indicates
more strongly than do the insuilciepcy of the tests
by stating That wne hall u dozen tests will show the
average tensile strength oil the wires to be 4 900
pounds double that number OF tests Will indicate II to
be no more than 5000 pounds Now that Is conclu-
sive evidence that the tests have not been extended
far enough to arrive al point where the ten
silc strength the will become constant guam
tity Or, III other words, large enough number OF
specimen wires have not been tested TO arrive at the
true or actual average tensile strength oil the whole
material furnished y
''What 10 you think" said tho reporter ''of Pro-
fessor rhurstons cucdaiion Of tho different processes
OF manufacturing steel and tho conclusions ho
at?"
1T is an able essay that metal" responded Mr..
HILL "in iacl, when the Professor talks about steel
he Is always simply admrablc;' and in saying that
do not assume anything"
"Mr. Hill, assuming that you have seon Mr.. j. T..
Haighs table OF tests published in tho HERALD yes
terday what do you think ot ity''
II cannot say that think much of 1t. Mr.. Haigh,
like all the OF The bidders is possession OF the
results Of the tests Of his own wires and those Of the
other bidders wires furnished them by tho
gineers have no doubt Mr. Haigh tried honestly 10
make lalr exhibit OF those tests; and am that
one at least, he made very generous one. At
the same time, since the fundamental formula by
which these tests arc computed are erroneous, do
not think his or anybody clse's exhibit under those
computations can possibly be conclusive