The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-29
WINTER WORK IN THE AIR.
HOUSES ON WIRES ron THE LABORERS
On TIfE GRE.IT BRiDGE


TO stretch wires Across the Fast River
all winter Long sew Contracts for stone
The preparations for winter that have
been made ON the anchoragcs and piers OF the
Egst River Bridge will enable the engineers to
stretch wire all through the winter montha. II
not continuously. at lcust at intervals frequent
enough TO keep the men constantly employed
The anrhora..os have been housed over. SO that
the men will be- comfortable at their work. aud
light rabins have been built ON the ends Of the
cradles. To protect the men placed there to guido
the wire across the stream from the fierce
wintry blasts that sweep up from the bay. The
covering will shield these men from the wind
and they must look to their clothing to keep
them warm. IA any experiment with small
stoves at point whcrc the wind plays 50 ruloly
might result in a blaze that would race over the
f9ot-bridi,c. and reach the frame buildings over
INC anchorage.
=. II will not 10 to make mon too comfortable"
Engineer NJ Nulty said ON saturday. As long
- me w'nth"r ~ not ioggy. and the sky ia FREQ
from hlinilng snow, we can run the wire. The
only troubl" we torcsco now IL that the oiled
wir" wi not dry fast enough in cold weather.
hui "" hopc To arrange stoves 80 IA to overcome
any dinruty that may arise IN that way" The
nnriurneos are now ~ comfortable IA any lae-
Tory. Tley IRE crowded with the drums " the
wire, when stand in parallel lines The coils
ol wire. ON coming from the factory. are oiled
anu then hung in a yard To- drv. A. they are
needed ON tho anchorage they ARE carried
ihilnrr on q cart und ruiecd uloit by a windlnss
ANA rope The coil Is laid on u rccl and then
one end il carried over an upright drum The
drum rs moved by handles, like those Of pilot
wheel
A. the wire ia wound oil the reel it passes
through cloth dripping with linSc"d oil. Will IA
u workman holds firmly around IL. Much ..ir,
Is iIScn to have Il move ON tue drum evenly
ana III" straight. When un end of the wire il
reached It i~@rricd into avscwith two thumbs.
IA one 81 which Is the corr spending end ol au-
miit"r ,'lI. Ihr ends of both wires ar" beVrilcd.
J. Nrh t!ry are urea let in opposite directions,
ami with such procession that when the stool
coupling Is s're wgd on The ends of the wire com
net perfectly. The Joint rs then dipped i'm "A
irltn of melted zinc. and thoroughly galvanized
llN" IN" rest of the wire. Tn" wire IL pissed
from uu" drum to another until n Is womb
ai'ui ga" large drum. FROM which IL IT. carried
directly n"ross the -tr"un. The extreme sim
rllrly ct the operation ~ stretching the wire
surprises eN'ry on" who Visits the work..
Ii.r'n- Iucrrs deem il fortunate that the size
oi TIE" wiz" is Increased. as thcir experience
proved tIHt tn" first wire chosen was Just a siz,
Wl Siihi. Last week th'y attempted 10 run
across some of the wiz they bad first selected
AN 'h"y ut once began 10 have tr"url" with the
'vuthuss One or TWO cuupl'nCs gave way
Mhlc ~" wire WIS ON lis way across the river.
IN" ends dropped between the anchorages and
piers. AMI whipped around the pas-ers by. II
was necessary e. reverse the machinery, and
start the wire across with u fresh coupling.
W'n,y fr ~ '"n. All IRE now IN position in
make sufficient bridg' fof a daring man g.
.r' ~ On" r.'nm on. Turv give % good conrop-
li"n oi what ia" cront cables Will hc when niuc-
T. u'h sVnuhs arc Wfalud IN one. with a
diameter ~ Ia inches. The cables swing To
tnl ITO uIlff INC action Ni tilU wind. luf they
are NOT d'-plnr,.i. When the wr" IL being
stretched. and before il is wrapped. the w nj
Whistl' tuu"iuly through II. and the friction
~ pressing wire in It's trip over stream against
the loose wires Of the cable. makes noise CLOSE
~ resembling tn. twlttrr.ng ana chipping Of
Hnny suarrpWs.
Au in poriant contract. that for the stone FOR
the approx hos. j. to hr nude TINS week. The
iils ar" already submitted and vary I'm amount
from s6uo.u1u To- 81 OOuuOO. They have been IN
III" hands ~ the engineers since the first of the
month. but ~ they were un~1ti -iuctury ia many
respects, IN" report on them WIS delayed until
Friday. when the Executive Committee of the
trustees PASSED on them. The specifications call
Tor 2u,i3j wards OF granite. 20 be- distributed a.
follows. l,b3l yards uf granite. rough pointed
lt-. stone 3.jlO yards 81 granite pier pilaSinr
AMI Jamb stone: 2.ls4 yards Of granite ahut-
m"nt pier stone with champ"rcd angles .s9s
Snrds OF granite arch face or ring stone for
main arches ii2 yards of granite arch face or
ring stpn" for nr"hrs At sides Of cross streets
i.9J0 yards OF granite. siN-rut work. including
ornamental phntls. fncia. pcdestal-. and cor
ilT- NJ ahntm"nt piers all imlo-ts or ,Hps II
small piers and all skew back drntils cor
nir"- or coping; jZGO yards Of granite rock
laced work for ~pandrrl face stone. wall faces
near entrances and fac"s above cornir..s on
cross -ire'i- N33 yards oi grant" bond sion'
l'r brick piers; also. 1921 lincal feet If granite
lurnp"i stone.
Tho engineers h0vn boon obliged 20 hold
many rC ni-rcn,"> with the builders. to consult
Will. reference 90 SOME alierti on~ 100 ilr bids.
and th" result l. that tn" trustees Will grt the
granite furnished ON fuXl ruiit. forms