The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-15

hind In order 70 lower the strand into position with
lhc others. II was about I've minutes past twelve
when everything ready for the work. Al that
time Henry supple, tho foreman OF the gang OF
riggers, was standing on the iron eyebars'
and alongside the shoe holding the newly
completed strand. No Is. On the other side
harrington, the master mechanic Further back on
the north OF the main set Of sheaves
Blake was stationed, aud facing him we're AcG,ssn
dozen other At different points watching the steel
wire 10 order that everything was FREQ from
TO take on the fastening, a pieee OF work that
did not take long to execute. The fastenings
Of an inch 10 diameter that mold sosssnsr .wo or
three Of the wro between tho sneavos 10 pro-
cauuon against their getti"g away AS soon q tney
and the steel rope gliding round the sneavss, let the
iron shoe move siowly toward the front Of the an
Ave tons On the ropes working In the sheaves,
but the strand was lot out The strain decreased
The strand had not moved TOUR ieet before one
rope had parted. He had hardly got the
words out OF his mouth before there came
a report like cannon shot, and Missing, grinding
sound, accom- panied by dense cloud OF dust Those
who unnurt were Tor the moment motioniess
with terror. When the dust cleared away painful
sight met their eyes The jagged end Of the steel
rope told the tale the cause OF tho disaster; the
remainder OF tho rope, snsaves snos ana strand nad
disappeared. Thomas Blake lay dead few yards from
the spot only halt IN nute before he had stood
so bravely discharging his duty. supple, the lore
~AAS~'-
and daring men the Bridge Company had in their
employ, nowhere TO be seen, and Mr. harrington,
the master mechanic and tho master spirit OF all the
active work that has been done on the bridge, was
stretched alongside the cables close 10 the spot from
whence he had been directing inc WORK McGra.h
ing with agony and apparently morsay hurt.
Alter the Arst brief glance 10 see that
nothing could be done TO save the strand
all attention was gwen to tho sufferers.
Horny Supple tho foreman, had been knocked on the
anchorage ~ the flying ropes and lay . ssnssless
condion in tho ward below. He was At oncc taken TO
the Chambers Street Hospital. Blake must have boon
killed instsntaneously by blow from passing rope,
for his skull was fractured McGrath ana Arberg
were suffering IRON painful Commissions, and At their
request were takon 10 their homs& Mr. Harrington
directly the strand started the whole pharapher-
MALTA must have passed over him. He picked himself
mp apparently unhur ana Was actively a. work during
tho seeing shat could DO done toward saving
A TALK WITH coLoxsL PAINE.
Before leaving the anchorage the HERALD repre-
sentative had an interview with Colonel Paine, who
said:.I hardly know how 10 account for the break.
ing OF the WIRE rope AZ Il certainly OF sufficient
Strength to answer the purpose for which il was used
IL was and quarter inches In diameter and COM
posed Of six wire strands and one hemp strand me
wires In each strand, making ia wires IN
all. At Arst there was q strain OF about
At the time OF the break il had been reduced to
about my tons; that Is not much moro than four
tons on each portion Of the rope have heard THAI
one OF mon said u got out OF the groove oil the
sheaves and was cut on one OF the sharp edges but
that cannot vouch for. wc intend 70 have the rope
thoroughly tested. Tho most remarkable feature OF
the tning in my estimation she comparatively
small amount Of damage that has been done nave
thought mat ny 81
In these below. They all belong to the Bridge
Company that Is those lying directly under our ca
Dlcs-and were purchased a. precautionary measure
against IRE or explosions We see that moth
ing OF explosive nature s stored below our works,
Blu. to return 70 tho accident wish 10 call your at
tenton 10 the slight damage that has been done Tho
strand. dragging along about Two tons Of IRON
shoe and bolts, wire cable ana sheaves,
made u clean jump from the top OF this
anchorage and landed In the yard attached 10 tie
New York tower. can only account for this remark
able feature In the BY the suggestion that the
must have slid along the other strands OF the
cable TOR some distance before IL broke away. The
damage TO the other Strands however, Is SO slight
that hardly imagine that 10 have been tho
case. The lev bricks and coping stones that have
the ropes, think II the strand or the iron shoe
had struck anything the damage would have been Of
moro serious nature"
just before leaving she anchorage the HERALD rep
reseniative had short talk with another engineer rs
10 wnat was gong 10 DO done with the fallen strand
This gentleman said that. now II HAD been bent, they
could not trust II for use in the cable and In order TO
get 1; OF the IL would be cut at both towers
and removed piece by piece. The strand cost about
So 900 or 81 900. would be entire loss as
good could be mndc oil the wire
FARRINGTox's STORY.
The reporter then started walk the narrow
pathway order 10 nnd Mr. Harrington, VINO said
10 be in Brooklyn. The trip was novel ono, the
Ing over The yard Of me New York anchorage the
fallen strand hung down from The tower, aud about
hall way down bad broken loose from the parcelliug
and the 20 wires Of which il Is composed were scat
tered in indescribable confusion tho roofs OF the
workshops, bright and glstennE us tncy reflected the
rays OF the afternoon SUI. Hall way across gang
OF men 1T work repairing the end OF
ono cradles which the strand had carried away
ms II slowly sank down into the river. Flooding
slowly along tho fragile pathway the reporters atten
ton called TO party 10 = small boat who were
fau MI IN md hoe
the tide little In the w,y OF the Fulton ferryboats.
At this point the reporter met Mr. Harrington, who
was returning the New York sdc and that gcntlc-
man very kindly stopped and allowed himself to be
interviewed in midar The following brief conversa-
ton took place.
RrroRrEn-If you will excuse tho peculiar nature
Of the pace should ike 10 hear your statement OF
the cause OF the accident.
Mr. FARRISGroS-I will tell you all know with
pleasure, but II IS not very much was knocked
down when the rope broke ana everything passed
my head. SO really kaow very little about tho
whole affair.
R9roRrER-werc you hurt by your fall2
Mr. FARRrSGrox-No; had a most wonderful es.
cspe and have suffered literally no damage
RkPoRrER-ls II true that The wire rope which
broke has only been IN use some nfteen timesf
strands thai arc now secured and think It must
have used about sixty times at least l cannot
Tor It's breaking asst was always considered 70
pos than sunicent strength Tor The purpose
Tor which 1t used.
AS there was NO further information to DO derived
iron MIR. Harrington, ana Inc Stats forming the path
way appeared hardly up to a stationary strain OF 200
pounds. the reporter moved on Tor Tho Brooklyn an
chorage wnere no arrived shortly aitcrward without
accident.
THE sckSgs SOUTH STREET.
The sudden appearance OF the strand OF tho cable
and ITS attendant paraphernslia created considerable
excitement in mat portion OF south street acing the
New Yors tower II did not do much damage IN It's
light, but ~ made great deal Of NOISE. people being
frightened, though not much hurt Following us
nght from The no started from the anchorage, the
nrst that 1t lei, was on The edge Of the roof
OF No. 295 Water street. There was only
sight dent. which was probably the work OF
OF tho banging ropcs. Something caught
tho chimney OF No 216 Front street and
after knocking u over In the most approved style,
passed Sonth street into the yard OF The bridge
company. AS ~ descended something struck the
edge roof OF No 172 South street, and carried
away the coping stones, wnIcn fell win crash on
the sidewalk beIow, tearing away the woodwork In
front oil the adjoining hotel IN their downward
course. telegraph pole That stood In front OF No.
HI south street was snapped of at the butt and
the street, wires and all, too fater having
got tangled up with the strAud OF tue cable.
IL miraculous TO nnd that
body was hurt. A street passing