Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-07-01
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
Special Correspondence,

bridge have been carried on with won
derful success and safety, the first seri-
Gus accident for two years or more oc-
curing last week, when one of the
strands belonging to the four great ca
bles was being put in place. This strand
was something like half a mile long,
reaching from the Brooklyn to the New
York anchorage. and weighed about for
ty tons. 1t had been made fast at the
Brooklyn end, drawn up in safety over
the Brooklyn pier, across the river over
the New York pier, and was just about
to be finally attached at the New York
anchorage, when one of the wire ropes
of the hosting apparatus parted. Then,
in the words of an eye witness, with a
roar like that of an immense cannon the
strand sprang like great snake away
back into the air, up towards the pier
tower on the edge of the river, with a
cloud of dust For a moment the whole
platform of granite quivered under the
terrible recoil and then the strand sag
ged between the towers, its middle bury
ing itself in the river with long white
splash, throwing the water up like a
submarine explosion in all directions all
the way across. Fortunately, che river
was clear, and the only damage done
was the wetting of ferry-boat which
was passing at the time. The spring of
the wire carried it clear over the houses
in the 900 feet interval up to the pier,
except that it knocked down one Chin
ney and cut off telegraph poles. Two
men who were engaged in the work were
struck by the flying monster and hurled
into eternity. 1t seemed almost a mira
Gle that such an accident could occur
without greater loss Of life, especially as
upon the end of the strand dangled q
mass of iron weighing nearly ton but
the very immensely of the force rendered
the occurrence so slightly destructive BY
jerking this resistless missile clear ovel
the houses and streets between the an
chorage and the river Had the impetus
been less and the ponderous mass beer
allowed to drop to the earth instead o
taking this gigantic leap, the destruction
which it might have wrought is terribl
to imagine.
In the Brooklyn Police Court was wit
messed last week the closing scene of
brief but spirited drama combining re
. nance, comedy and pathos. On the da
previous young lady of twenty wa
walking along one of the avenues of tina
city when she suddenly felt her pocket
( book taken from her hand and turnin
about saw man making off with i
Being girl of spirit, she incontinentl
gave chase but after running sewers
blocks she found that the object of he
pursuit was widening the distance b,
tween them. Seeing butchers ca
= standing by the sidewalk she jumped il
whipped up and after brief but excl
ing race overhauled the culprit. He W;
!, quite an Notwithstanding man of mic
= die age with nothing of the thief in h
appearance. and when Intercepted b
. the girl as to the cause of his crime |
broke completely down, saying that |
T, had gone almost crazy at watching b
u wife and two little children starve, ar
{ that he had taken the pocket-book in
6 fit of momentary desperation. Said Il
young lady in court next day, "Whe
i he told me how his family were suffe
Il ing, l went with him to his house, al
Il found it just as he stated. He took b
u little child on his knee and cried, al
IL his wife could not imagine what it W
Z all about. He did not want me to t.
y her, but he finally told her himself tn
% he had taken my pocket-book. l tn,
% gave her part of my money. Then Il
70 officers came and | told them I did n
;, wish to make any complaint against hi
~ and would not have come here if I h
" not been compelled to-" There were a
=, plause and tears a plenty from the coul
~ room audience that morning. The pr
~ possessing appearance of the sorel
- tempted prisoner and the heart-breaki
u story of his sufferings from sickness al
% absolute penury which was told by
~ fair advocate with earnest simplicit
ie worked strongly even upon the juds
y whose daily experiences are such as
~ render him proof against any ordina
~ displays of emotion.
Sc The charge upon which the man h
: been committed was grave one, that
highway robbery and had it not be
:. for the girls effective pleading a 10
:. Imprisonment must have followed. I
SO persistent was she that consulate
= was had with the district attorney a
his consent obtained to a change of
record, which enabled the judge to
: charge the grateful prisoner, who, I
- happy to say, found friends at once, q
- is in no further danger of want.
q heroine of the affair has since recei,
-. complimentary letters from all quart
). for her humane and spirited conduct
There was piece of quick railr,