The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-05
RAILWAY OVER THE BRIDGE
I'LOf NIDiNG, ~ Us IsED il"I NEEf-
ING or TIE BEIDGE TRUSTEES.
The Contract for Removing Buiidings-Ex-
pcnses md Receipts-Chi~f Engineer Roeb-
linx's Plans for Transporting Passengers.

The monthly meeting of the New York
and BROOKLYN Bridge trustees yesterday after
noon was attended by Henry {. Murphy. Prcsi-
dent. and Mcssrs. Stranahan. Marshall. Hitch
cock. Hall. Maclay. Agnew. Davis. kinsella.
Lenry. Burrill. Carroll and Haswcl The Ex-
ecutive Commit tee reported that they had found
n necessary to confer with the Rapid Transit
Railway Company of New York in reference TO
crossing their route with the line OF tine bridge
at Pearl street and that arrangements had been
made to so construct the road ~ not to interfere
with the bridge trusses at Franklin square. A
rcauisiton was received for fifteen tons OF steel
suspender bars. OF open-hearth steel. These
bars are needed for the short bars in the centre
of the bridge. and will range from four to four
teen feet in length. The contract for removing
the buildings between Cliff and Nandewater
streets was awarded to f. L. THRILLER.
The expenses for February were s1i9.144.4i;
tho receipts were sl0i .4Oj.3l The total re-
eeipts were reported TO be- $3.50 1923 AZ. and tho
total expenses. ss.5l6.s3s.39. The cash on hand
Is s56s901S. Tho liabilities were $7736O79.
The Secretary read the certificates of Thomas
Hitchcock and Arthur Leury that the cash ac-
accounts and vouchers for the receipts and pay
mcnts Of the trustees of the New York and
BROOKLYN Bridge from Nov. / 1877. 10 Fob. /,
1873 had been examined and found correct A
-equlsition was ordered to be made on the city
Of Brooklyn for 81 100000. and on the city Of
Now York for 100000
Mr. Kinsella-That makes $40 10000
Chief Engineer Roebling. in response to
resolution requesting him to submit his views
on the method of passenger transit on the
bridge. reported that the great exposure t.. wind
and weather. and the great length of the bridge
caused him to decide that one central promo
made would be- sum lent. and that. the bridge
Is now being built. II provides two double ttuiiic
roadways Tor vehicles Is feet inches wide two
railroad tracks each l3 feet winn. and nne con-
trial prom, made IL feet wide The vehicles on
each division of is feet inches are TO 20 In one
direction. On the railroad tracks trains OF eats
are to be run 10 accommodate passenger trahr.
gave the views of the late John A. Rncblng.
which. in substance. were ~ follows; Vehicles
an passengers will take the right han track.
10 prevent crowdinc and confusion. tn" n"NtS
two spaces eacn IL feet wide, are to be provided
with steel rails for the running of two passcn-
gnr trains OF cars back unI forward alternately.
These trains are 10 Ice attached to an endless
wire rope. propelled by n stationary engine. To-
Gated on the BROOKLYN side. underneath the
floor. Thes two tracks therefore. will be treat
Ell exactly Ike an Inclined plane. an operation
perfectly simple. and perfectly well understood.
au hour 70 he attained. which may he in
crAas II u thirty and even forty miles an hour.
with absolute safety. IN well-bui cars run
niLg on straight line and over perfect track.
THIS motion will be scarcely ielt. The starting
and stopping are ~ be gradual. and entirety
under the control Of the engineer. Allowing
for the discharge of Il train one minute. and for
Its filling another minute. Including the time
consumed in stopping ami starting tie train.
There remans three minutes to run over one
mile OF the bridge. The number of cars may he
III reused TO ten in each train, each car hftv
feet long from coupling 10 coupling. AMI eleven
feet : X inches WIDE outside. with a capacity 70
seat 100 persons comfortably Each ear is t. be
divided rrosSw isr into iglt coupes Or sections.
each section 70 have two seats fronting each
other. and each seat IN adm : from six 10 eight
persons. Each section Is 70 have two opposite
doors. one Tor entrance. the other for exit The
doors are to bc suspended. sliding doors. and
connected with each other by light bars. 50 that
the eight doors on each side OF ear cnn be
t. go with each train and attend . the opening
and closing OF these doors. The different
cars being all attached to the same
b. fixed. and the rows Of doors in each train
nay be opened and closed BY 4 small wintlass
supplied with such a windlass. 70 that the num-
Der OF cars may bs either increased or dimin-
ished. or the closing and opening may be made
self-a.t.ng as the trains leave or enter the de-
pot: The car doors which point toward the
site ones or Exit This rule be-
ma ntained. in order to fiji aud discharge them
WI hout delay.
On the arrival OF the train. the outside doors
are 10 be gradually opened by the conductors.
wlile those pointing toward the centre of the
bridge remain closed until the passengers have
begun 10 rlight Then the opposite doors are
10 be open ID. and the new corners admitted. All
passengers who arrive Tor crossing Will have to
pass through the central toll house. bay their
lures or tickets. enter upon the central tontWay
II feet wide and 500 feet long. TO await the ar
rival OF the next train which is due. on either
the right or left track. On the arrival OF tram
the inside passengers are To step out, through
the outside doors. on sidewalk Of ten feet,
which leads out OF the depot without lnterfer-
ing with incoming passengers. For this pur-
pose the bridge is wid"ned out 10 100 feet for a
length OF 500 feet at each terminus. The COM
mon roadways are 70 he outside II these Side
walks and irs securely fenced off The cars
ar to be substantial and light. Of iron and steel.
Another system Of running cars Is the clrcu-
lating system In place OF Il recproratlnG mo-
ton OF two trains. the wire rope j. Kept running
around in one DIR 'ton only. and each car s.u-
e.yi as II IS h.led with pacseng~rs is attached
opposite end. this car is detached. dis 'harged
and run over to the other track. and. in lis turn,
takes Il load back again. Thus the cars arr
Kept moving slngly IN IA circular route always
crossing AZ the ends from one track iothe oi3er,
Al iirst sight this system SENS = recommend
Itself rs the best OF the Two. The other sys-
TEN is perfectly established. aud Involves no
new and untried features. by examining the
II Will be noticed that the railway ira Is are
made secure bv IRON fender h"hms. which Will
efretuay prevent running of. aud will sup
port the bottom Of the cnrs n case of n break
down. To guard against Ohstru'tlOns by
heavy SHOWS. these ira ks are wlthSut flooring
enough 10 render impossible even the fall III
through Of child, Tne wire ropes are sup
ported on small rollers every fifteen feet They
the Brooklyn SIDE These engines are to he
sets OF engines and boilers are IT, he provided
So that one set may be always kept IN orde,
ready for alton. should anything occur 10 tho
other. There 10 also to be a spare WIRE rop'
ready laid upon the tracks. So that the old on,
may be replaced ut any time at night. should i
become necessary.
The present Chief Engineer says that ther,
are only two methods OF oiieot.nc rapid trans II
namely. the incline plane system with "a rope
which he has adopted. and the use Of locomo
tives. The grade is 100. Rising from an cleya
ton o! 40 feet near Chatham street t. l4O feet IL
the centre OF the bridge anu this Is an ohleciiOi
10 the use OF locomotives. II would rHlulr.
powerful 10 OmotiVe 10 draw tram OF eight ol
Ten passenger. cars over such grade
The bridge has not been designed II
bear such heavy concentrated loaGs. Light
or locomotives, II used, would necessitatc
reduction Of carrying capacity. In the
inclined plane system, the trains may be run I,
ana fro alternately, or "A number Of singi" de
tached cars may be run round in a clrculatinI
system. Mr.. Roebllngs preference l. tor The
alternate system, because ii Possesses tn,
greatest capacity for accommodating large
throngs which must he trans ported in IL sir r
space oi tine IN the morning or evening. EX
prrlenoe Will determine Whlrn OF the two Sys
TENS II preferable, and the change may h'
made in 4 lew hours. The engine Is run con
tnuOuoly IN one direction. the rope Is splc.c
endless. aud the trucks at the tarmlni are con
ne ted by short switch, tho empty car, b"inL
transferred from one track 10 the otner by
horse.
Mr. Roebling has fixed on "A gauge OF six fee
Tor the tracks to insure the steadincss Of Tho
passenger cars in hiHh winds. and he is unwil
linz TO reduce The grade % 4 81 i, ippups In