New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-10
LOCAL MISCELLANY:

RIVAL OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE.
sp.xN,sc THE EAST RIVER AT sEvENTY-sEvENTH-
sr-pRECAUTIoNs TAKEN TO SECURE LIGIiTNEss
SAFETY AND DURABuLTY-CosT NOT 10 EXCEED
$2,5OO,0OO.
The projectors of the proposed new bridge
across the East River ut Seventyseventh-s say 'a'
work will be begun this Winter, soon as a suitable
plan can be selected. Ten designs have Already oceh
received accompanied with estimates. and nnmoer
more are expected from OF the best engineers iii
the country. Calculations will then be necessary 10
determine the most feasible and economical oeS's"
From those that been received 1t has been
that the cost Of the bridge will not exceed $2,ooooo
and that II be finished in two years. Inc P'an WIZ
probably be selected this month Persons Interested III
the enterprise make the following statements cohceh
ing it:
According to the specifications prepared by tne Co"
suting engineers there will be approach on the Ne"
York side $50 feet long, ofwhch about WI" ~
IN tunnel extending from the tracks OF the harlen' nan
road on Fourhave., in the vicinity OF seventy -'hu'
To the crossing OF LexingtoD-avc From this poh o
will be an iron structure, curvIng to the center Oh .o
blocks between Seventy sixth and Seventy
and continuing to the bank OF the western chanhe
OF the East River. single span 734 feet long, VIII NO
made across the western channel, ana an ioh SUI
7oO feet long will extend across Blackwes Island Inc
eastern channel Of the river will be spanncd by Spse
arch 61s feet WIDE reaching to Long Island where the
Tn each OF the long spans the lowest part OF the pusc
will he 1875 feet above mean high tide at the middle Vi
the river The total length will he about 1Oo32 ee' o
90 feet less than two miles. There VIII ne mann ap
proaches for carriages, and III additioh' 'heic WIZ
two auxiliary approaches-one in the vicinity Vi Az
enue A. New York, and the other nj vernon
ave- Long Island City-which will inersect the main
spproaches, and will be OF suficient "iu'h
to admit OF an easy turn for carriages There VIII also
he two roadways for carriages extending from IhlrdaVe
to the high ground Long Island, eacn I'D ieet WHO
The bridge will be designed to accommodate sheie
track railway its entire length occupying "u'n
of ii feet IL Will be arranged so that secohd 'iach
can added afterward without materially ehahgnf 'ne
arrangement interfering with the use OF ne TIE
Two sidewalks each five feet wldt VIII eAlenu I'LL. III
alongside above the main carrage-ways or tne RAJ
0 %ay on T s S9S and Tie other on the island
shore, near the end OF the long spais' WIN '"p
Ibe foundations wherever practicable, will be carried
TO inc rock and tie masonry will in all eases ne nist
class and laid in hydraulic cement mortar Earn m
Is required allow 100000 IN his estimate 70 cover ne
for the autInrnts which will consist Of masonry rom
the bed rock hight Of 10 feet above mean ie
cast-iron wroight-ron, mild steel preferred by
the designers. All masonry VIII ne 80 uesisahedd
that the distributed weight including that OF the oaua
superstrncture will nowhere produce pressure exceed
ing $50 pounds the square inch, and the foundation
limit The strain upon their surface OF cont ct with the
pedestal stone b. 800 pounds per square men , mil,
be gwen refined wIought iron of soft hbrous texture
rolled twice from the puddle bar, with an ultimate pieds
ing strength at least $4,000 pounds per square lncn
and an elastic limit less than 10000 pounds II
designers prefer steel In tension they are required
10 furnish idence of its adaptabty for that purpose
in resistance tensile strains To impacts and repeated
vibrations well AZ TO the absolute certainty OF uhi
fority i'm its productions, aSccraiDcd by experiment
Comprrsson members will be either Of cast or wrought
iron or of mild steel Designers who propose 10 employ
steel in compression must furnish evidence, Daseu
on trustworthy experiments that will bear strains as
safely as wrought iron, and that there Will De
uniformity in its strength Castron not aoweu lor
the principal members Of the trlssed spans, ana none
will be less than thrreqGarters of an inch thick III VI"
NOT he allowed where there IL transverse or tensile
strain or where the shape Of the parts might cause I'M
perfect castings II will be allowed in towers, bedpateS
pedcstas and washers, but must be OF the best quay VI
soft gray iron No wrOughtiron steel Will De allowed
than thrceeghths OF an inch Thick except III places
where both sides accessible for cleaning and painting
the entire surface IL bedd ID in noncorrOrlNe
material The erection of the structure must not inter
rup the navigation Of the East River or the use OF any
public road, street, avenue. preference VIII Dc
given those designs which al an equal cost occupy tHo
least width on the ground the Newl0rk side so as 10
reduce the cost OF land damages The designs may pro
vide for wooden rcstlc the Long Island SIDE more
economical than iron but must be - arranged as To
admit of the renewal Of dcciyed portions