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



now THE WORK Is pRooREssNa-NEAnLy
EIGHT AND HALF MILLIONS EXTENDED
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 members present. map showing the lands
required 10 be taken and the alterations necessary 10
be made thereon, the intersection OF Garrison and
York streets, for the approaches on the Brooklyn
side, was presented, and, after inspection. II was
adopted Tho OF the land will be between $4,000
and $4,000
Contracts for tho purchase OF 11,0O0 pounds Of
wrought Iron pins for the suspender rope sockets
were awarded 10 Messrs ". Ames Co., OF Jersey
City, The price allowed is eleven and three-q quarter
cents per pound.
Tho contract for furnishing four galvanized steel
working ropes to take tie place wornout travel
ling ropes awarded Messrs. John Roebling, Son
Co. at eight cents per pound.
COMMITTEE.
The report OF the Finance Committee was submitted
and approved II was shown that the total amount
received from the for the bridge January
81 S. 1863, 1853 A. The expenditures amount
10 S. $50 IT, leaving cash balance Of $l0l 629 49,
with liabilities amounting to $6ls s41 "a. The receipts
Tor the past month amounted TO $l02 426 3d. and the
expenditures $S1, $50 S8.
President Murphy road report In reference 10
investigation made 10 tho circumstances attending
the fall of the brick arches adjoining the
age on the Brooklyn side, on the evening OF Decem.
Der ~ when Hugh ullen, laborcr IN the employ OF
the trustees, was instantly killed Tho trustees au.
tboriZed the Executive Committee 10 make suitable
provision Tor the support Of deceaseds hve orphans
On motion, Mr. Hazwell, the chief engineer, d.
reced 10 report to the Board his views tho ques
ton Of passenger transit over the bridge when I'M
ished.
Mr. Thomas Hitchcock said that men frequently ask
wny the work on the cables OF the bridge dd not go
faster. lie had heard IL SAID that If 1t was IN the
charge OF private corporation composed OF men
who were interested In making money out OF their
Investment the work would go on more rapidly and
the briGge across the East River would soon be COM
plete. Why was IL, he asked, that the wro was now
beng lad two cables instead Of on lour? Why was
IL that the workmen engaged such short hours,
and why was II that some days they did not work at
all!
THE WORK GOES BRAvELY ON
Mr.. Murphy said That there ground what
with greater celerty or faster than IT is now. Ihey,
had been faster than the Niagara, the Cincinnati or
other great modern suspension bridges Whcn they
first began they had supposed II would take TWO years
10 build the cables, the first wire on which was
stretched June TO- 1871 On February 10 bali OF the
Quisite cables will have bccn laid, and IN sixteen
bs from the stretching OF the hrst they will
all be completed, which s eight msuths less than
was first allotted for that portion Of tho work. they
could only lay the wire on two cables At time, be-
cause the other TWO cables had to be lowered and
wrapped. In the past eight months 900 tors Of wire
had been sent over the river, ana The wire Is
being stretched at the OF ten tons per day. All
tins labor had been accomplished without single
casualty, and MIR. Murphy SAID there could not be
better careful set OF w0rkmcn than now
employed. They were paid by the hour, aud the
trustees could not iorGe them 10 work when they did
mol want TO- During the gale last week, when the
blowing ut the rate OF Sixty miles an hour.
tho workmen wero out in carriages on the BRIDGE The
cableg lor the supersiruclure will be completed by
August l, and the roadway and approaches Will be
finished IN 1880. In that year Mr. Murphy said he
expected to 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 first Monday IN March,