The New York herald., 1878-02-05
EAST RIVER BRIDGE.
HOW THE WORK Is PRoGREssING-NEARL1
EIGHT AND HALF MILLIONS Extended


HOW THE WORK Is pRoGREss1Na-HEAnLY
EIGHT AND A HALF MILLIONS ExPHNDED-
MEETING OF THE TRUSTEES
A regular monthly meeting OF the trustees OF the
East River Bridge held yesterday afternoon, at
their Office in Water street, Brooklyn. There were
many N members present. map, showing the lands
required to be taken and the alterations necessary 10
be made thereon at the intersection OF Garrison and
York streets, Tor the approaches on the Brooklyn
side, was presented, and, alter inspection. Il was
adopted Tho cost OF the land will be between 900
and SIS 600.
Contracts for the purchase OF IL, 900 pounds OF
wrought iron pins for the suspender rope sockets
were awarded to Messrs W. Ames 4 Co., OF Jersey
City. The price allowed is eleven and threequarter
cents per pound.
Tho contract for furnishing four galvanized steel
working ropes to take tie place Of tho wornou travel
ling ropes was awarded TO Messrs. John Roeblng Son
Co. at eight cents per pound
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The report of the Finance Committee submitted
and approved 1t was shown that the total amount
received from tho TWO cities for the bridge January
81 S. 469, $3.50 A. The total expenditures amount
10 S. IT, leaving cash balance oi $101 629 49,
with liabilities amounting 10 SOL Sal 54 The receipts
Tor the past month amounted TO $l02 3d. and the
expenditures $s1, $50 S8.
investigation made as 10 the circumstances attending
the fall Of the TWO brick arches adjoining tho ancnor
age, the Brooklyn side, on tue evening OF Decem-
Der % when Hugh ullcn, laborcr IN employ Of
the trustees, was instantly killed. Tho trustees au.
tborized the Executive Committee 10 make suitable
provision support of deceased's hve orphans
On motion, Mr. Hazwell, the chief engineer, was d.
recled TO report to the Board his views 10 tho ques
ton Of passenger transit over tho bridge when I'm
ished.
Mr. Thomas Hitchcock said that men frequently ask
why the work on the cables OF the bridge ala not go
iakcr HO heard IL SAID that II II the
charge OF private corporation composed OF mon
who were Interested In making money out OF their
Investment the work would go on rapidly and
the bruge across the East River would soon be COM
pleto Why was IL, he asked, that the wiro was now
peing aid two cables instead of on iour? Why was
IL that the workmen were engaged such short hours
and why was II that some days they did not work At
all?
THE WORK GOES BRAyELY ON
Mr. Murphy said that there was no ground what
ever Tor complaint The work could not DC carried on
with greaer ceerty or faster than 1t is now. rhey
had been faster than the Niagara, the Cincinnati or
other great modern suspension bridges Wncn they
first began they had supposed would take two years
to build the cables, tno first wire which was
June TO- 1871 On February 10 baf Of the re-
uuisite cables will have been laid, and IN sixteen
months from the stretching OF the first wire they Will
all be completed, which is eight msnihs less time than
first allotted Tor that portion OF the work. Ihey
could only lay tho wire on two cables at time, be-
cause the other two cables had to be lowered and
wrapped In the past eight months 900 tops Of wire
being stretched at the rate OF ten tons per day. All
this labor had been accomplished without single
casualty, and Mr. Murphy said there could not be u
better or more careful set OF workmen than We're now
employed. Tney were paid by the hour, and the
trustees could orce them TO work when they did
not want 10. During the gale last week, when the
WIND was blowing ut the rate OF sixty miles hour
the workmen out in carriages on the bridge. The
cables ior the superstructure will be completed by
August ], and the roadway ana approaches Will be
finished IN 1880. In that year Mr. Murphy said ho
expected across the East River Bridge from Sands
street to New York in iour minutes.
The Board OF Trustees adjourned TO their regular
time OF meeting, the hrst Monday IN March.