The New York herald., 1877-01-12
Meeting of the Trustees Yesterday-The Steel
Question Discussed.
CHIEF ENGINEER ROEBLlNG'S REPORT.
No Award Yet Made on the Gable
Wire Contract
DIS SC.U SSING FACTS


at the Brooklyn ONCE OF the company, was more nu-
merousy attended than any previous meeting. Mr..
Hewitt who was unavoidably detained IN Washington,
was the only absent member of the Board
The Treasurer reported tnat the receipts for Decem-
Der had amounted to $77,s50 and the expendi'
lures aggregated sl30,00o, Of which $4,000 mad
been paid for property on which to construct
approaches TO the bridge Tho Secretary's report
for the time during which work has been going on
stated that the total receipts were 81 ls9o III ana
the disbursements 81. .059s0s 40 There was cash In
tho Atlantic Bank to the extent of $685. $50 o. In the
Long Island Bank there was 043 05, and tho cash
on hand amounted to $6O4 25. The Liabilities Of the
rompan, were as follows:-Chromc Steel Company,
t41l4 O3; December salaries So o24 es; material re-
seivsd, 34,454 s5 lands and buildings, $3.50 so,
making total indebtedness OF $l5,3oi 70.
Then were read the minutes OF the meetings
OF the Executive Committee, held on December
and 23 at which the bids for furnishing the steel
for the large cables were opened and the decision
arrived at 90 recommend to the Board that the con
be awarded to John A. Roebings Sons Company
1T 6k cents, gold, per pound There was read, aso'
reply to the charges made by Mr. Albert ILL., published
in the HERALD, in which Colonel Paine gives It as h's
opinion that not one OF the errors alleged Is
THE WIRE COMPETITION
The report OF Chief Engineer Roeblng on the tests
oil the samples Of wire SAID
general glance the results shows the gratifying
our The facts certainly show that Richard
sns Il Ss'hsS he ss Mr.
samples Of good wire the , kog N
Msnuacturins Company two Of good wire
81 siocs s"' One s'' ring the Bssssmsr vsIy
cast steel wire indicated high tens strength while the
Nephew rnshsS s two QUALITIES Of very superior
Mes snnb,eher Lyman Wolf Co sent sw" snss so %"
rings good wire and Mesrs Henley Co furnished two
not necessary make further reference TO them
The Chief Engineer, In letter dated December l'
1876, says
III am asked point blank shall have osay the wire Of
samples sent with bids notwithstanding the fact that it
was not Strengthened.
The following is a synopsis of the Chief Engineers
report for year 1875 1885, which was presented
70 the Board yesterday
70 Hon H,.sr e. Mgnry President s The Board Of
SfRI beg leave submit herewith my report Tor the
wear 1876
Tho small quantity yet to be put the anchor
and cannot be LAID unit, tue cables are am eS%
Our nnchorages heS stand challenges com
delivering the stones top the ADEQUATE
that cost per yard to lay the top imam 'he
that the summit OF the New York tower is 34a feet
above she foundation.
The arches of the BROOKLYN tower were completed in the
Sprtne The line OF thrust In these pointed arches
falls halt feet outside OF the centres Of
ten. as inches inside OF that point position
The Ioyss"nss huge blocks weighing eleven
nsa N hcrns that shs thickness the
vuisoirs was rsguasd Win h, props III ne
comprising the saddles aud saddle plates were raised at
,hou. snv % msaps In general form they do not diier
materially those used the Cincinnati bridge except
about twice the size II is not expected that
the saddles will under any passing load after the
bridge is completed.
ANCHORAGE
In the anchorage have only two factors to deal with
is defiance 10 the gnawing tooth OF time the sec
place % csrs.In amount Of dead weight in The shape Of
granite the anchor plates know viii remain there
In nnchoraae plates which huge spider shaped
make them in one solid casting divide each casting
Into number of separate thin plates between which the
iron bars as proposed by Mr. Allen Castings large
sa%s metal will give with small sectional
found easily practicable TO keep the greatest thickness OF
osbsr rs%"neG with the single casting the
ter plan was carried out with perfect success
anchor chains disposed to form the quadrant
anchor plate which they joined by vertical section
70
In all previous wire cable bridges each cable was compo
strands would be bulky handle and could not he
viii nd lie ep to h
the saddles on the towers ana. at the same time permit
not to be nterisred with by already in place
next wa the csose so q n %
Krupps works in Essen during the year OF 1867 the man
BY nine would greater strength than
ns 81 tina, .,ss sc.9n % .as or stsa and
prices showed that iron would have the preference
nee.
The preservation Of the anchor chains from rust IS effected
In the customary on previous works by properly
painting the chemically cleaned snraee OF the iron ana
servave qualities OF hydraulic cement have been well tried
by long experience
The main cables consist Of nineseen strands. These
su, nrs laid "p in place aud as they cannot be made
the position which they finally In The cable i
self each strand is laid sixty feat above this
position The length OF time required to make the main
will require no than and half three years
Preparations for the commencement o' cable making
the required machinery tor running out The wire from the
Brooklyn anchoraee has been pg up and Is only awaiting
the of the bridge for active commence
m,nt ,.. .uono,,ea ,v h.,vv wire rones ,usneua.d
such detection that the main strands while being
"sty en for hSnDs the wires Access had TO the
cradles by means of light temporary foot bridge.
position at the level OF the floor OF the main bridge the
snd s, .1 Both Saye a rad and
vantsscs . -
The platform oor of the foot bridge 3h feet wide.
Is composed OF wooden strips with small space ostwee
protect ai structure against the violence Of terrific
venture predict that Notwithstanding every prccan.ion
we have completed capie making
WIRE.
of tue cable wire has formed the sub
,ect OF reflection and thought especially in preparing
the specifications for the same. Tests have been
going on intervals for tho past six years ana
constantly during the last two years Ihc
mus,,"n. wa. TO obtain certain strength for the
least amount money IL discovered nt avery early
dmy that a slight raise IN the reqursmes
for instance raising the rRse from lvl'pl To- lf'Hp ~
ISOtpU pounds inch made much larger pro
on nj in e price whereas reduction o the
rate below figures did not affect the price very much
QUALITY of WIRE
ughout this whole Investigation IL has been elt thai
one grave dicuty surrounded the question OF steel an'
shat Ia lnrk Ut uniformity ut quaty. The plan adopted
wns the only that could be practically executed
smeIv To invite public competition. aud 10 enact
srvs bond for fsithfu performance of She contract ana
70 secure thesquates called for 10 the specifications
n"sy sv.tr, of the
,srs these lest. must REMAIN matter ="
confidence and trust he building OF the whole bridge
ruatter Of trust
After The reading o the reports General slocrm OF
t.r.d tbe following resolution, which he moved b'
inc Exccutiyc COMMITTEE
rl.aa SecreInrx Ml War be relnesied 10 de