National Republican., 1883-05-24

dow, of which he has watched the slow pro- |
gress Of the wonderful structure. Inheriting |
n taste for engineering from his father, he |
had gained high reputation before his con-
nection with this bridge, and his continued
oversight of the work, in despite of a disease
which would have cut of an ordinary man
from mental as well as bodily activity, is one
of the most impressive examples Of the tri'
umph Of will-power ever known. His own
sef-sacrifce inspired the most devoted loyalty
in the corps of engineers about him, and they
directed all of their energies to carry out his
plans and wishes. Not the slightest advantage
was ever taken of his illness to deviate from
the letter and spirit of his plans, and Mr.. Roeb-
ling, weak invalid, away from the work,
always remained complete master of the en-
terprise
Twenty men have either been killed out
right or fatally injured in the progress of the
work, and several others have died from dis
ease contracted by working in the caissons.
The programme for the formal opening OF the
bridge on the twenty-fourth includes parade
of the 9TH and 23d regiments, the former escort
ing the official and other guests to the New
York tower, and the latter escorting them
from that point to the Brooklyn terminus.
In Brooklyn the day will be observed as
holiday, and there will be municipal festivi-
ties in which President Arthur and others are
expected TO participate.
The trustees Of the bridge have fixed the
toll of foot passengers at one cent each.
| Rope.traction cars will shortly be put in
operation. The bridge will be lighted with
seventy powerful electric lights of the Weston
system, furnished by the United States Elec-
trio Lighting company of New York city.
| The lights are arranged at intervals along tho
main span and approaches of the bridge, in
| the waiting rooms at each end, and in the
| engine house. The dynamos for generating
| electricity to supply the lamps are OF the
we'll known Weston type, and are
four in lumber. They are placed in
the engine house OH the Brooklyn
side and driven by two independent
engines supplied with steam from the
main boilers. The wires leading TO the lamps
are arranged in two separate circuits which
take in alternate lights, so that If any pos
sible accident should occur, only the alternate
lights would be put out, and the bridge would
still be well lighted. In addition to this, pro-
vision has been made for connecting the
bridge circuits with the lighting stations OF
the United States Illuminating company OF
New York city, If necessary. at any time. AS
the main boilers are not yet in place the lights
are for tho present run from this company's
station, on Stanton street, near the Bowery.
The effect produced by the brilliant lighting
of the bridge will be very fine, especially
when seen from the river; and II, as at present
contemplated, extremely powerful electric
lights are placed upon the top of each pier in
addition to those now in place, the bridge will
be an even more conspicuous object at night
than in the day time
The Brooklyn bridge is thus one Of the me-
chanical wonders of the world, one of the
greatest and most characteristic Of the monu'
ments of the nineteenth century. Its towers
at least, bid fair to outlast every structure OF
which they command u view. When ouI
New Zealander takes his stand above the
saddles which are now ridden by the cables
of the bridge, to look over the site Of a for
saken city, there will be no ruins of churches
at least Of churches now in being-for him to
sketch or see. The web of woven steel which
now hangs between the stark masses of the
towers may have disappeared, its slender fila
ments rusted into nothingness under the slow
corrosion of the centuries. Its builders and
the generation for which they wrought may
have been as long forgotten as arc now the
builders of the pyramids, whereof the trav.
eler, "as he psceth amazedly those deserts,
asks the historic Muse "who builded them
and she mumbleth something, but what it Is
he heareth not" 1t is not unimaginable that
our future archmologist, looking from one OF
these towers upon the solitude Of a mastless
river and dspeopled land, may have nc
other means of reconstructng our civilization
than that which is furnished him by the
tower on which he stands. What will his
Judgment of us beP