The daily gazette., 1879-12-02
East and North River Brsdgss.

4 RoCHEgTKR INVENTOR DOES AWAY
WITH SUSPENSION DRIDGBs AND
TUNNELS.
From the Rochester Union and Advsr-
tiser.
The Rochester inventor who about two
years ago put forth a modest scheme for
carrying ships across the Isthmus Of Da-
rien, the principal features of which
Capt. James B. Eads and others have
since tried to filch, now asserts that he
has contrived . bridge of peculiar con-
struction, which Is Of such merit that it
can be applied to the East River in New
York, aud render the great suspension
bridge needless. TIE new bridge pro-
posed can be constructed for one-tcnth
Of the estimated expense OF the Brook
lyn Suspension bridge, and put In opera
ton in less than the time required to
string one Of the cables on the $40 ,00O,-
600 structure.
If theso claims are founded In fact II
Is plain that the invention 10 IN exceed
ingly valuable one, ~ there are not only
in New York, but in other States, rivers
that must either be- bridged or tunne led
TO meet the demands Of commerce and
travel. The Detroit River needs some
\
East River does.
The plan whi ch the protector speaks OF
with so much confidence Is . mod II "a
cation Of the pontoOn system, with fea>
lures believed to be new under the sun h.
The bridge would consist Of pontoons or
Heats Of sheet iron, stretching across the
river and hold at right angles with the
stream by weights or anchors at the bot
tom Of the r,er on each side of the
hrtd drvu nd AnfA at ha A..a t.x,
chains or wire ropes. The pon'oons
should have apertures made throug h
them horizontally, at right angles with
the length Of the bridge, Of such dimrn-
sions rs to let steam tugs, Ice, etc., float
through freely.
This construction would: give toIths
pontoou in the water = rosen lance to
AN ordinary arched bridge 1t contem
plates having submerg, q section OF the
float large enough to sustain, without
sinking more than a foot or two, any
weight the bridge would be called on &c
bear. To provide passagsway fol
large vessels there should be. at suitable
Int rivals, secti ons of tho pentoon separ
ate from the main part of the bridge, bu
held latterly by weighs, a. before de
scribej, which could be drawn who'll,
under wafer to such depth that th,
keel OF the vessel desiring to pass woul,
not touch it. This gate or draw shou,'
be hauled down vertically by steam
engine situated on shore or ou tn
main part Of the bridge aud connecte'
with the sinkable portion by rope o
cham running from the engine to a pul
ley fixed IN the bottom OF the river b.
au anchor, aud then TO the bottom o
the float gale The engine, when de
sired, would pull this down. IL woul
rise of itself a,d take Its place as tb
nece, sary link to allow Of passage acros
the bridge.
The plan needs only a sufficient dep,'
OF water. 1fthe gate should be toe larg
to draw under water conveniently, til
inventor rays he would anchor sub
merged float AT the passageway, and o
It place the draw which would Iurn on
ceuter pin just az in an ordinary swim
: bridge. Tue submerged float woulI d
, | he'd by anchors and would obvlate u
use of pier. The swing couli be move
j by an engine operating a screw in u
E water. or by hauling in chains attache
to anchors.
: This, without entering into minute d,
; tails, In the general description uf b
Z project az propo, ed by tn. inventor. wi
submits that, 10 the unprofessional ey.
1t is uucomparably ahead Of the NOR
,trous suspension structure the people
New \ ork and Brooklyn are paying
dearly for, without satisfactory assurans
1 Of its ultimate utility.