The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-18
THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE.

REGULATING THE FINISHED STRANDS IN THEIR
FINAL POSITION IN THE LINE OF TIE GREAT
CABLES.
One OF the most important operations In suspension
bridge making is tho regulation Of the completed
strands that they shall occupy exactly their destined
position in tho cables oil which they form part lho
strands being laid. anchored and lifted IRON tao
rollers to the saddles, before described,
have thea TO DO adjusted, delicate and
somewhat tedious operation. when such great
lengths and weights OF sirandso have 10 DO
handled Tho lrst operation is that OF securing tho
proper detection Of the middle span stretching from
tower tower and then those Of the side spans
In New York and Brooklyn, reaching from tie towers
10 the anchorage PIERS Tho work of regulating the
lower south No. 4 strand was commenced
yesterday by Colonel Paino aad Mr.. Earring
ton, aud viii DO operation oil some
days. depending TO great extent upon the
condition Of the weather. the necessary
having be taken IN Tho carly morning or In cloudy
weather. az al those times only are the requisite
pcratures secured.
REGULATING.
Inc observations Tor the span are taken fro N
the archway vi the brooklyn tower those Tor clio
brooklyn Hand span from The Brooklyn anchorage,
and those Tor the New York land span IRON The New
ork anchorage The sighting tho span 10 taken
over tue upper edge o two boards fixed in tho arch
ways at some twoItJ seven feet above the roadway.
The Icvol Is placed scaiiod, which erected on
the afchway noor, aud sight limo taken the top
OF Tie Two boards Is tangent ut the centre
termed by the river span OF tho when IA It's
proper position. Tue sighting from tho anchorage
is done from under tho archways, u wire
stretched across them to board placed some orty
feet below the top OF the adjoining tower the sight
Inc In this caSc also forming tangelt to thu proper
curve OF the strand. The strands laid worry accu
raic!y so that the change II any, where the shoe Is
pinned " tho anchor bars shall DO slight The taking
up Is arranged by means OF segmcnts circles
placed Ia The shoes tho anchor bars.
Tho sight boards on Tho lowers movable and ar
ranged 10 givo the proper sght lines yarous do
prccs OF temperature from any 10 ninety Gosroos
For tho river spans tho difference IN height OF tho
tangent points for these two temperatures would 10
one loot and ono inch, tho strand ~ ninety degrees
being, OF course ut the lower point.
The signalling 70 tho worEmcn the towers
ancborages charge OF Mr.. harrington pull up or
lei down Is done by means vi nass. These operations
are performed by means OF wire rope tackles
CONNECTING with steam power at the anchor
ages. aud by The screw yOkcz aud 81
power applied to suitable tackle on the
towers. observations yesterday slowed thlt tho
river span o the completed strand VI the No. cabo
was IN It's proper pOsitlon. The Instruments wcro
thcn taken 10 tho New York SIDE. and the land
span was found to be TOO high ana The Brooklyn land
span therefore too low, that tho strand
bad to be moved slightly over toward New
YORK. AS the regulating oil the guide wire
by which the nrst strand was adjusted
as made took solno three weeks W is lar to presume
that The regulating OF the strand itself Will be long
operation The work Of regulating tue present strand
being h0shod, the adjoining strand will DO taken IN
bana. By that tme the Two upper strands will have
been permanently anchored and let down into tho
saddles anu VIII be ready 70 10 finally adjusted