The New York herald., 1877-08-31
EAST RIVER BRIDGE.
PROGRESS OF THE woRK-A Nlw IDEA-THE
BRIDGE WIRE.

PROGRESS OF THE WORK. Nlw IDEA-rHE
BRIDGE WIRE.
Just at daybrcak yesterday morning Colonel Paine
again went down 10 the regulating cradle OF the up
stream strands the New York land span, and took
the hna for the reguaton Of the second
pair of upstream Strands The iurthest down stream
OF these-No s;rand-was found TO be In It's correct
position. As the result OF the measurements made as
10 the relative position Of the northernmos-No
ttrand-of the second pair of strands TO the CORE
spending regulated the first pair the strand
was pulled quarter of inch tho saddle on the
New York tower and taken up on the New York
anchorage by the insertion Of half inch segment
between the shoe and pin. Work s still progress
Ing on the third pair of down stream strands and they
will probably be finished tomorrow night
method of joining the coils OF wire for the
strands has been adopted and is considered much su
perior to the one formerly used. Tho ends OF the
coils to be joined, which some $40 ee in length,
Gus to a right hand and LETT hand screw thread
and worked into q coupling provided with suitable
threada The wires are bevellcd where they meet In
the centre and form good contact. BY this arrange
ment tho wires caunot twist around work out
When they screwed IN the mixture of zinc wi a
small amount OF tin, which forms thick gaivano-
plating IS put on and a neat JOINT IS f,rmed In the
old method the wires screwed into the coupling
Win upOeVeHeu cuuk. Inc COupUuX WAS sctlcu
SO that the zinc which was put on formed
q Joint with the coupling and wire
This method was similar to the coupling Of shaiting
II pecessilated a heavy coverirg OF Znc and made
large JOINT which tended 10 bunclng IN the strands
The method now adoped counterasts the tendency to
twist out induced by the slight twisting OF the wire
caused by the inclined position OF the wheels
they pass with their skcns Of wire also by
any twists which may have developed 10 reeling tho
wire or winding 1t on the drums. BY the method
the wire in order to work would have 10 break at
the point Of contact Of the beveed ends.
THE BRIDGE WIRE.
Various experiments have been made and s;i
making rs to tue best method OF ong the at the
wheels Is being rgged up, which VIII be IN operation
next week. The wire Is TO pass and rotate iron
oil from reservoir and distribute 1t over the
II passes along from small orlces tho sides OF the
buckets IL Is expected that this Will produce more
UNIFORM coating than the mclnod formerly employed.
The contractor, Mr. Halgh, is now delivering Twelve
tons OF wire per day. and OF quality fully up 10 and
even over the standard required by the specifications
When the contract was first gwen out only six
tons day were to be delivered, Dut II
having been found that the work was being done at
rate which demanded twelve tons per day, arrange
mens 10 that effect between the Bridge
Company and the contractor. The contract Was
signed yesterday for the delivery of the larger
SIZED wire which has been fur nshed for some
tmo anu ls now being used. This wire is twelve
feet 10 the pound, whereas the former size per
contract was fourteen feet to the pound The
price IS the same. Permission was given yesterday by
pany 10 lay one of their small insulated cables along
the iootbridge. They will also lay for furnish
instruments Tor The use Of the Bridge Company,
connecting the Brooklyn olHce 10 Water street
with the Now York Office, corner of Cherry and Pearl
streets The telephone cable, which will connect Mr..
lyn viii also be laid the foot bridge HIS telegraph
wire is now used for this purpose.
On the approaches the work is progressing steadily,
the workmen ON the New York side being engaged in
laying tae railroad track across Franklin SO uare the
anchorage yard and under the south archway On the
Brooklyn side the excavation for the second pier of
approach has reached the depth Of from two three
ieet number OF the workmen are engaged In clean.
Ing away the debris of the old market.