The daily gazette., 1883-05-25
THE BRIDGE OPENED.
TWO CITIES Welded BY
STEEL.
NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN JOINED
The Great Highway Between Two Great
Cities Formally Opened--A General sus-
pension of Business.

Meeting New York with BROOKLYN was for
mally opened yesterday under circum-
stances most favorable. Early In the morn
ing every available space from which view
or the bridge could be obtained, including
docks, house roofs and steamers, were packed
and jammed with men women and children.
Houses were gaily decorated with flags and
bunting and everything in general were the
holiday dress.
Promptly at II O'Clock the cere-
monies proper began, by the Seventh
Regiment leaving its armory and proceed
ing to the Fifth Avenue Hotel for the pur-
pose of escorting President Arthur and
party to the bridge. The line of march was
then taken up and the procession moved
down Fifth avenue to Fourteenth street,
thence across to Broadway to the City Hall
Park through to the New York station of
the bridge few yards across On its way
down along the entire distance thousands of
people had assembled, filing the streets,
windows and housetops. As the Presidents
carriage came in sight the dense crowds
cheered wildly, men, women and children
waved handkerchief, and the greeting was
one unbroken series of welcomes from the
Filth Avenue Hotel to the end of the route,
the President returning the salutations with
smiles 1t was O'Clock when the Presi-
dental party reached the station at Chat
ham street, at which point not less than
100000 people had assembled, completely
choking up all the thoroughfares centering
at that point. The appearance of the Sew
enth Regiment called forth frequent ap-
plause.
THE SALUTE TO THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY.
As the President reached the New York
station and alighted from his carriage the
cheers which had marked his approach now
haa arnn nd q
the cheering and waving of handkerchiefs
the President and party proceeded along
the building and entered upon the
massive approach to Brooklyn. Then the
frigate Tennessee commenced firing a sa-
Lutte of twenty-oDe guns. The Kearsarge,
Yantic and Vandalia followed suit, and the
heavy booming of each discharge soon be-
came deafening. The vessels were soon en-
volved in almost impenetrable smoke AS
this slowly cleared away the crews of all the
men of-War were seen manning the yards.
Their rousing cheers came across the water
like hearty welcomes and greeting at the
completion of the mighty structure The
notice of the Presidents arrival had been
signalled by white flag hoisted from the
tower to Fort Greene in Brooklyn. From
this point the warlike music was taken up,
and at the same time the guns on Gov
ernor's Island responded in similar tones.
Proceeding to the Brooklyn anchorage, the
gallant Twenty-third Regiment were in line
on the north side, facing south.
The right of the Twenty lust ex-
tended to the centre Of the bridge, and as
the President reached the spot he was wei
coined by Mayor Low and other BROOKLYN
| city officials. But momentary halt was
made here, and the President then resumed
the walk in front of the soldiers, who now
stood at "present arms" the officers at their
respective stations, saluting the President
as he passed by.
Arriving at the Brooklyn end of the
bridge Vice-President William Kingsley, on
behalf of the Bridge Trustees, formally
presented the bridge to the Mayors of the
two cities in speech which he paid a most
fitting tribute TO the late John A Roeblng,
the original designer of the plans of the
bridge, and also to his son, Col Washington
A. Roebling, under whose supervision the
bridge was completed, and concluded by
saying that the bridge had cost many
millions of dollars and taken many years to
build. But those who enter race with
| lime Tor competitor have an anita, -Ouist
| that makes no mistakes, is subject to no i'll
| reference and liable to no accident
Mayor Low, OF Brooklyn, in accepting the
bridge made a few very fitting remarks, as
did Mayor Edison IL lc ,c3tiuG the bridge on
the part OF ew York cit,. The great
| grafton Of the day was hy Hon. Ahram S.
Hewitt, who reviewed the ksjo., G, he
cities OF New York AID Brooklyn from taeir
lnfan tits
After the speech making had been con-
eluded the vast throng at the !rooklyn end
oi the bridge retrared heir steps and from
that time un Ill $50 when the bridge was
cleared, there was one continual stream of
humanity walking back and forward be-
tween the two cities.
The representative of the GAZETTE was
struck with like craze and would possibly
be walking back and forward at this time
had he not received word from a liveried
servant of eye people be d." that he was
expected to dine at 6 80 Your representa-
tive took the hint and made himself ready
to sec the fireworks by taking some refresh
| ments at a restaurant.
| The announcement that the fire works
would be started promptly at O'Clock,
produced a slight scattering of the crowd, !,
which beseiged every thing that looked as
ifit was intended to be eaten, and having
satisfied the inner-man, they again
took up their position upon sites from
which the pyrotecnic display could be
| viewed.
Promptly at 8 o'clock, and at a given
I signal, rockets, booms, fire balloons and in
Vulnerable other pieces were fired off.
Men stationed on the two abutments kept
up steady fire of rockets and roman
candles. The display which lasted an houl
was one that will never be for.
gotten by those who were fortunate
enough to witness it, The great
big structure was lighted with electric light
from end to end, and in connection witt
the fire works made one of the gran1est
sights ever conceived. Taken all in all the
ceremonies OF opening the bridge were sue
cessful in every particular.
The total length of the bridge is 1886; the
length of the river span being 1895; width
OF the bridge, S5 feet; number of cables, 4
diameter of each cable, 152 inches; frst
wire was run out May 30, 1877; length ol
wire in four cables, exclusive of wrapping
wire, IA ,361 miles; length of each single
wire in cables, 3,579 feet; weight of foul
cables, inclusive of wrapping wire
3,5SSH tons; depth of tower foundation
below high water, Brooklyn, As fe t; depth
of tower foundation below high water, New
York, 7S feet; total height of towers abovC
high water, 27S feet; clear height of bridg,
in centre of river span above high water, a
90 degrees Fahrenheit, 1856 feet; height o
towers above high water, l19 feet inches
grade Of roadway, 81 feet in 100 feet
height of towers above roadway, 159 feet
total cost, including interest, about SIT,
000, 900.