New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-18

,,,1, -, rot,trc across the East River when
the narrow footbridge strung oe'"ec" V' ,o"crS
M course people had walked acro's '"' i-'' '''''
bofore that-on the ice. But mat IN" o0'' pre-
,arious and uncertain. as wen a. u"''s''' '"''
rho last time this was done was IN the winter o.
-, - whom thcro was great trouble with ice in the
~ messenger, on the ferryboat' often counting them
lvcs ucky 10 make the journey from Shore 10 ssloe
in Two hours. ON one cold day thc ice was "'Ne"
in from the bay with uncommon iorce' anu Dcca'''
:, .olidy packed together that 1t formed bridge Oh
which several hundred people "aheu from b'ooNp"
70 New York. and vice versa
When the footbridge was hung over the river LOT
enc accommodation Of the workmcn engaged in build
ino the structure, TO which 1t was as pigHy 10
Gigantic giant there were many ambitions persons VINO
c-,aycd 10 walk over IT, some OF them ala not SUE
GOOD lint fine cr,ater number made the trip in triumph
Crossing the magnificent promenade now does not III
,h. least suggest that far different experience The
writer had the privilege OF making the periiou'
tourney three times once with three ladies' although
M, his first attempt gave II up after vcnturing out
several hundred feet from the New York anchorage IN
company with a friend. But that was only ie"
day, after the ootbrdge was completed, and at that
,n,c the cu,dc ropes for the hand, were not 50 well
arranged they were later.
or Az AERIAL LADDER.
The Journey on thl, aerial Ladder wac an experience
meyer to be forgotten The foOtbrIdge was Just wide
arms, This left one hand Of each TO grasp what might
by courtesy be called tho hand-ril, which no one
If ordinary nerves wished to let go OF for single
moment The bridge composed Of wooden stats
placed an inch two apart and TO look down through
tho openings and the CHANGING river far underneath
wa, rather trying even 10 level heads In one respect
the TRANSITIONAL acknowledgment is made To "Ths
Er,oaIyn Eagle for the uSc Of this world traveller
of that day had decided advantage over those VINO
cross the completed bridge at the present time. The
foobrdec carried him the tops of the towers,
from which perhaps the finest views 70 be had In the
vicinity of New York to be- obtained. The towers
are now practically inaccessible. long climb mp a
ladder being the only Way to reach them.
Another experience which the writer remember,
with pleasure climbing the stairway surrounding
the Brooklyn tower in company with Chief Engineer
Martin and then walking down the footbrdgc b the
brooklyn anchorage. speaking of the long time which
II had taken 10 build the big Bridge. Mr. Martin dc
claird that the work had been done rapidly n
possible and then he added with emphasis that he
had never nur,cd' II job In hi, life. Mr Martin had
not then set mp a railroad expert. ana the cvolu
ton Of the deadly Earnc, Martin plan for carrying
more people tho Bridge at the imminent risk OK
their lives far I'm the future.
sp,akinc Of the queer ideas about the bridge bring,
10 mind The remark Of a man. presumably II fair in
tolieeucc who was giving free expression 10 m, no
tou, ON the front dcrl, Of fcrrytoat in the ante
bridge ante farry syndicate day ." Now | believe,
said he n AN emphatic and not to be- disputed tone at
the same time ancug mp at the work In the AR above
him. and causing the eye, OF his listeners % turn in
the same direction. Now believe that If they ever
finish that Bridge a good lively wind coming along
some day will simply catch hold Of 1t and turn It
upside down. 80 that the whole inside, 80 t. speak,
WILL drop int, the ryer.7 Thi, wi,cacrc stIll lives.