Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-12-07
For the OXFORD DEMOCRAT
THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE.
Nxw YORK, Dec. /, 1885,

the Brooklyn Bridge, standing Ike SHEET
sentipels upon either shore of East River,
and from any point Of observation over
looking the two cities, they are pre-einl-
nently conspicuous At the present time
nearly 100, 100000 persons annually pass
between New York and Brooklyn upon the
numerous ferries. During certain seasons
OF the year fogs delay and ice prevents the
passage OF the boats-hence the bridge
the most stupendous piece OF engineering
of its kind In the world. II was designed
by Obeling, who also planned the suspen-
sion bridges at Niagara and Cincinnati.
The supporting tower on the Brooklyn
side is just north OF the Fulton Ferry
house: the New York tower is at pier 20.
near the foot OF Roosevelt street The
bridge may be divided into five parts, the
central span across the river from tower
to tower, 1895 feet long span on each
side from the tower to the anchorage, $40
feet long; and the approaches from the
terminus to the anchorage on each side.
The whole length OF the bridge will be 1856
fcet-something over mile and quarter.
II will he So feet wide, including a prone
made of 10 feet; this width will be only be-
tween the two anchorages from thence to
the terminus It will be 100 feet wide. II is
intended to accommodate two railroad and
four horsecar or wagon tracks.
II Is proposed TO propel the cars across
the bridge by means OF an endless wire
rope. To be- driven by stationary engine
situated unser the arch near Main aud
Prospect streets, In Brooklyn. This mode
OF propulsion Is In use in San Francisco,
and Is meeting with marked success. 1t
is expected that the transit Of the entire
length of the bridge will be made in four
minutes. From high water mark Ia the
floor OF the bridge In the centre will be lij
feet In Summer ami 49, feet in Winter, so
that general navigation will not be- i'm
pcded Even at that height It has been
found Ia interfere with some vessels, and
Ia order TO pass under the cables they
must lower their topmastS. This spring
1t was charged that the engineers had not
complied with the terms OF the act Of Con-
grcss authorizing the bridging OF East
River. and that the cables would not wing
clear 1856 feet above mean high tide. \
commission was appointed by Congress TO
ascertain by actual survey, the facts ofthe
matter, and found no violation Of the
terms. The central and two side spans
will be suspended from four cables ofstecl
wire, each IL inches In diameter. Each
cable is composed OF between 5000 and
COCO wires, aud every wire was thrown
across the river Singly. These wires.
more than 10000 in all, were regulated as
TO tension, and placed singly, aud, not
withstanding the four enormous cables in
To which they have been bound, have a
span Of nearly 800 feet from anchorage
To anchorage, the total variation from
exact level that the Government Commits
sion found In the four cables il only Il
quarter Of an inch. These cables have a
detection of Us feet between the towers.
Each tower rests Immediately upon \
caisSon sunk 10 the rocks beneath the
river, which on the Brooklyn side j. -
feet. and on the New York side from - TO
~ feet below the surface OF the water.
The towers erected upon these founda-
tons are ia feet in length by 80 feet in
width at the water line; below the upper
cornlce at the top these dimensions are
reduced by Slop,d Offsets at intervals, to
100 feet by 90. The total height above
high water OF each tower j. PCS feet A
the anchorage, each OF the four cable,
after passing over the towers, enters the
anchor walls 1T an elevation OF nearly 80
feet above high water, and passes through
the solid masonry distance Of 20 feet, at
which point n connection i formed with
the anchor chains. Each anchorage con
tairs about 81. 600 cubic yards ofmasonry.
The spans from the anchorage To the
towers will be suspended TO the cables,
aud carried over the roofs OF the houses
underneath. The Brooklyn terminus at
Sands ~. il Us feet above high water; that
at Chatham ST. New York is ca feet above
high water mark. The work on the APP
proachcs To the structure are OF massive
masonry; that ON the Brooklyn side Il
nearly completed. On the New York APP
proach the anchors are completed 10
William st. From Chatham street to the
centre of the bridge, the inclination will
be and ~ TO the 100 feet OF roadway ;
from thence to Sand ST. in Brooklyn, the
inclination will be and 81 feet 10 the 100.
The New York approach is succession OF
magnificent arches; nearly every arch
covers about the space occupied by an
ordinary three story house Of % X 100 feet
for beams that may be inserted by the
lessces Of the warehouses, the spaces I'M
der the arches being intended for ware
house purposes. These warehouses will
be absolutely tlre-proof, the walls being
six feet thick, laid in cement. On the New
York side there will be over 20 and on the
Brooklyn II ofthem. Many historic build
ings have been destroyed upon the New
York side TO IN axe way for the approach.
A good work has been done in clearing
out this portion of the swamp" as it is
called. for nearly every building back OF