New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-19
ON, TIRE FOOEBRIDGE.

AN EXCITING JOURNEY OVER THE SLIGHT srRuc-
TuRE BETWEEN THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE TOWERS
That marvellous monument of engineering
skill the East River Bird is steadily approaching com
plciiop Each day adds step In the progress to"aro
the time when the sound OF the hammer ana the troo vi
the engine shall and the last wire OF the "oh'
fu network shall he securely fastened Ana each sep
involves 30 thorough labor and SO careful attention 'a'
II Is absolutely necessary for the engineers to hedge IN
the workmen with redtapc restrictions III the way oi
osses I'm order 10 keep of crowd of eager sshtsecrs
who would impede the work. Moreover accidents womb
certainly he frequent If all applicants were allowed 10
ascend the lofty towers.
When therefore, a TRIBUNE reporter approached MI
FaIripgton the master mechanic, on Naturday after
noon TO get permission to the newy-ereced loot
bridge built for the OF the woTkincn he eit some
misgivngs although it in his privileged capacl'y'
Mr. Harrington, who is very fercelooklhg man. WIN
nicn calculated terry those not acquainted Win Ills
amhlike disposition looked daggcrs at the petitioner
and began shaking his head before word had been
spoken. "Cant 2" "NOw "Pray, let me-" mot 10
be thought OFF, and he cast his eye upward at the foot
bridge in regard to which this mOnosylabc CONVERSE
ton was held. "Why, the workmen can hardy hou oh
in this galc-what do you suppose you'd amount 'oi
BY dint much urging, however Mr. harrington was NJ
length induced relent, and the two started OH their
tourney. Up up up-n0 so many steps as those hece>
sary ascending the towers but tedious nu'nber-hcy
climbed the stairs at the Brooklyn anchorage per
Passing through the great shed which covers the "hoe
upper surface Of this per-under which VIII stdhd TIC
numberless reels from which the cable wires VIII be I'M
wound-they reached the foot-brdgc, which, with Its
supporting cables and tie cradle lOpes, no"
forms the only connecting LAX between TWO
great cities. what is it, that they should
trust 1t so impcitlyi' was the question WHICH
naturally presented itself number OF Stats each -FOUR
feet long and uccs wide and thick, laid side by
side across two scewirc ropes. That was all, except
half uHnN va
each side wind howled through the wires ana the
bridge swung gently side TO side. Long say-roes
reached from bridge the ground between the an
chorage and the over the river stecwrc rope
was stretched from tower TO tower lar hehaaih inc
bridge and at short stay-ropes connected the
two the whole forming what appeared at distance Ike
piece Of lacc-work dehcatcy and elegantly wrought
the wires hall IN inch diameter, seeming 10 be mere
threads.
From the ANCHORAGE piers to the towers the foot9iidge
has an ANGLE cf ascension abOu. tniryye degrees
That may appear steep ascent on the EARTH Dut 10
any one attempting it under the circumstances OF Satur-
day il seems difficult as the ascent OF MI
Blanc. Tie undalation oi the bridge caused by the
wind which was blowing gale the gradually increasing
distance between the apparently trail support ana the
ground the houses beneath bistlg all over with chin
ncys Toe king small! enough TO inpae falling man, the
cccssify holding securely Ia the landrd 10 prevent
being blown of, produced sensations in the report
cr's head-and stomacl-neycr experienced be-
fore In vain ne glanced turtiycly into his com
panion'- face TO detect any signs Of nnc"ins
on his part S,oldy the master mechanic Kept on ana
the reporter fAncled that he caught "A backward
glance of enjoyment at his diacomposurc. Up mp up,
step by step, they struggled against the wind, until tie
the first cradle was reached. This relief Tie
cradle il a platform placed upon the cables at right
angles their direction. II composed OF two sectioS
and is 100 feet long and feet wide. A wooden iron
braccd haudril all around IL. There are five oil
these cradles half way between each anchor per
and its companion tower and three at equal distances
apart over the river. The bridge runs through
these cradles not far from their coniers,
htle ON the down stream side. Into one OF
the sections the two climbers entered ana
,ltsyd that tine reporter might rest ANA look a9"ui NM
People below ga ed UOudclln@y upward ana opened
their mouths WIDE that the temptation 10 drop some
tang into them was almost irresistible bIoohNh iH
stretched before tHc eye. It's hundreds Ol spires, us
varied roof sfce the numbercss horscrirs threading
their urkiaS "Y throuGh me Streets dlfo"eu ny or
tuc, shouts Of Giaymei, the bJzh made by human
voices, and the rattle OF wheels upon the Stones pre-
scented novel ana interesting sights ana s0unus' blt
the siOca master mechanic 20 whom these things
M TtI' so ing fnS ascent was hcsm agan, tie
reporter leaving the securely -fcncci cradle a-d
thc SENSITIVE iOUt-Drdge with regret
U, up, up, more for few apparently lneiminablc
minutes and the tower was reached A word or t"o 10
lie employee on the top and the guide com
m'uced the journey over the river without word.
There Sra,iu,i aud not unpleasant descent from
tower The center cradle, ard no aSc was made
iron IN the frst cradle from the Brooklyn tower
few minutes for REFRESHMENTS" hr. Harrington
sI.d pleasantly, when they had reached that point
&" Here you nave the graudcs view from the best posi-
ilnn OF an. how clearly, as the sunlight
forces its way through the unwilling clouds, the whole
country lies mapped out before us. 1he view was mag
niH cnl. On land, tue stream narrowed III the
distance until if brook, While On the Otncr
wdcnci into The beautiful barhor. bounded III the
distance by the of Long Island ana hcHJcrsey
Behind the Cty Of Churches while Tie roar from Tue
metropolis in 'front.' its vast girlc Of shipping, ana the
countless thousands nurIyins hiiicr AMI thinner through
It's streets. Impressed the neLUdos with IT'S greatness rs
a ..IncIeal cen:cr as nothing else could to FROM
myrads 81 Gtaf> American ags were waving III the
ali, and sun'S rays flashed back III dazzling Dr-
lance from the windows Of houses the distant ole
waited port .un of Br1Ohlyn.
Gioriou. :" exclaimed the reporter how fortuuate"-
II a sudden gHs OF wind impaired waVclikc uniuld-
ton to tha III which ne was standing, and tIGsct
lard at his hat Forgetting thc end OF the sentence III
ms frantic ceav0Ts 10 keep h position and his hat lie
mceay followed his guide mp the Incline TO the New-Nork
tower. Ircddmg the trIn structure was delight
after the cautious movements on the SWayng 1OOtDrIdEc
CoicuIing that ne lad hdd enough of iOODrges, wire
cab, - MInd the reporter parted from Mr. Earring
and gladly DESCENDED the 100 steps by the side of
the ~ the Office were specimens OF borngs OBJ
swamp. consisting OF dark, moist
clay The bDringS are conducted ny the engineers la lie
back yards TIE buildings along FiHnk1Urt-St. to
tain kind OF bottom exists the stone piers
10 support tie approaches to The bridge TLe result
j. more satisfactory IMAM was expected, COCA bottom
b ing found under this swamp deposit.