Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-05-30
How The Bridge was Built.

The East River, or Brooklyn and New York
bridge, is one Of the greatest pieces of en-
glneerlng work not only in the United States
but III the world. Over a quarter of century
ago Colonel Julius Adams talked of uniting
the two cities by means of n suspension
bridge He was laughed at, was told he was
crank, and no wi hstanding his uerseryer-
ance, he could make no converts. In 1865
william q. Kingsley, of Brooklyn, deter
mined 10 solve the problem as to whether the
East river could be bridged. The difficulties
were innumerable. The strong current, the
gre tat depth Of the river at places, the neces
iiy of making the bridge high enough
to allow vessels 10 pass under, and the
long span requisite, were treat d a insur-
mountable obstacles by very many engineers
Mr. Kingsley engaged an eminent engineer
to draw plans and make estimates for a sus-
pension bridge. Two yelrs later IL charter
was granted by the legislature with flexible
capital of $5,0OO,OOO, S3,oO0,O00 of which was
to be subscribed by Brooklyn, S1,500,0O by
New York, and Sj00,C00 by private parties
All the capital was subscribed for, and the
subscribers of tho 10000 elected the trus-
tees who served until the act of 1875, when
the bridge was made public work, and this
money was of course paid back. The mayors
of New York and Brooklyn then named the
trustt es and have done so ever since.
John y. Roebling was engaged as engineer
in May, 1861, and, having Mr.. kingsley's
personal procurement for his guide, devoted
his entire time in preparation OF surveys
plaus and estimates until September, when
he presented his report. The report showed
that the engineer had carefully drawn his
est mates and fixed the cost at SO eCO,O0O
or seven million dollars for tile bridge aud
the remainder for tie land. Owing TO vHri-
Gus changes made in the original plans, the
bridge has cost about S50OO,O0) more than
the estimates, or about SIS. 10000
To present technical descriptions here
would be all absurdity. Suffice 1t 10 say that
by tie aid of a caissOn, q huge wooden diving
bell, on which were lail the solid walls OF
masonry, little by little the vast foundation
on the New York side was sunk eighty feet
below the surface of the rushing waters
resting on the bcdrocks there. The caisson
| top was lO2 feet by liz feet and twenty-five
feet thick, of tough Southern pine, fastened
by bolts and joints, aggregating go tons in
weight. The sides at the top were eight feet
thick, and tapered down TO eight inches
thick. On this caisson land for that matter
the Brooklyn work was done in the same
way the huge foundation was built by Il
| scientific laying of massive stones, whose
weight gradually sunk the caisson to
its resting place. The Brooklyn Gals
son was not ready until May, 1870, at
which time it was lowed into Its berth near
the Fulton ferry slip. After it was thor
oughly ready the granite blocks, averaging
| five tons each, were gradually laid until the
middle of July of that year, when compressed
air was let in and the workmen began TO ex-
cavate beneath. TIE Brooklyn embarrass-
ments were trivial III comparison with those
on the New York side and after a depth of
! forty five and half feet was reached--the
entire stratum being rough mixture of pc
culiar cay-it was deemed safe to rest, fill
the caisson with solid hydraulic concrete,
which soon became as firm as the rock itself,
and leave it. This work lasted until the
middle of the month of Mach ISL, nearly
an entire year, two months OF which, how
ever, were lost on account of a $1,000 fire in
the casson, which necessitated the flooding
of the interior.
Mr.. Roebling planned the bridge, but did
not live to see much progress made, for ht
met with an accident in 1868, having his foot
crushed while experimenting the works
This slight accident brought on lock- jaw,
from which he died n few days later. His
son and partner, Washington A. koebling
succeeded him in tie work. but he, too, is d
victim of the bridge, for he was injured in
the caisson fire in 1871, and has suffered
from strange and complicated disease ever
since. Some twenty have been killed anC
over 100 injured during tho twenty years
work.
The towers soon began to show themselves
and for several years were the only apparent
signs of a bridge being made. The tower'
are 2I6 2-3 feet hig'. AT the height of IL
feet above high water mark each tower is di
vided into three sub-towors by two avenue;
3ll6 feet wide. These rise TO height o.
120l6 feet, above which the towers ris,
thirty feet higher, to point where huge iroI
plates rest as u kind of saddle for the play
of the cables, supporting the bridge anC
running back 10 the anchorage on either side
The span stretches 1895 feet from towel
to tower, and $3.50 from anchorage TO an
, chorage. At the towers the bridge is IFS fee
above high water mark and in the center 10,
| feet. The anchorages hold the wires, and arr
, located $50 feet inland from the towers OF
, each side. There they stand, vast aggrega
tions of stone, ll9 feet by l32 feet at the base
/ 80 feet above high water mark, and weighing
GO,O00 tons each, There is nothing peculia
r in the outline or plan of these vast structure
. except that Mt the bottom are four hinge cas-
iron plates, one for each cable, 16la by III
a feet in size, ~ feet thick and weighin
1 1900 pounds each
In this cast iron anchor plate. are fastene