New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-18
ON THE BIG BRIDGE.
INCIDENTS AND EXPERIENCES WORTHY or
ESPECIAL MENTION.

INCIDENTS AND EXPERIENCES WORTHY or
ESPECIAL MENTION.
o1.rrp PEOPLE AND THEIR QUEER QUESTIONS
LOOKING At THE PENAL INSTITUTIONS.
~ GOVERNORS IsLAND-THE OLD
roorpRrDGE-A PREDICTION NOT
LIKELY TO BE FULFILLED
THE SLlPJoINT
rhoro arc many queer people who cross the big
Mt, ,ro,, ve,y York 10 Brooklyn and back again.
and thew ask many queer questions When no one
is near group Of these visitors 1" inc cy VINO "'o
hound 10 sec all the sights ANA 10 DE apIe |" '''' "
sorts Of wonderful stories when they return "oc anu
ca aetonlsh their ncighborS. they indulge IN nnbouhncd
o,,a,o, oronc themselves as TO the Bridge itself
nd &c to what n i, that they looking at up ana
,ou.r the river they do not hesitate on occasion 10
nIv he casual stranger with questions ana hcS ~
gard the Bridge policemen as their special ana rlp"'
IN, prev There can be doubt that they look upon
the policemen ~ detailed there Tor 'he spec'no pun
pose Of answering their questions
An enterprl,ng man who could OBTAIN from inc
prid,, Trustces the privilege Of selling Brooklyn
udce o1Ilde book mp 10y Of the towers c"uld soon
make a handsome competency. HIS BOOK Ought 10 pc
historical descriptive and statistical IL Shouiu con
tain everything that can be known OF 'ho"R"' -" ~
regard 10 the Bridge. An important feature Sho""
he outline ar panoramic maps. such aS are gwen III
n t, hools to the White Mountains and other
similar REGIONS showing all the principal objects "hlh
,o range ~ human vision from the highest point on
fine Bridge OF 1t ought to tel al uie l"''
,lout the bridge which every one wants 10 Know" Sn'
a. the height of the towers. the height o TIC h'S
fran the wafer the length Of the structure the as
- lon, Z fpgg in o.
cables. etc. etc. etc.
il l. ,,cI to say etc. etc. etc. because the mum
her o thing, in addition that the stranger on the Bridge
wants 10 know Is more than legion ASK any oil inc
noIiccmcn whose mouotonous duty IL y to ln'rol inc
roodvays or the promenade. and they VIII tell Won
that the fccnndty Of the Human mind in the matter
Of oue,ton, f., calculated impress, the one questioned
with the fact that the human mind is indeed fear
fully and wonderfully made They the policemen
will not be apt that precise form of words bnt
thcv viii convey the idea. something like H. III
toler,Lly correct and forciblc English
WONDER EXCITED BY TIE SLIpJolNT.
one Of the point, OF unfang interest is the centre
Of the Bridge where the slip Joint j. arranged 40 the
trus.cs flooring. railway tracks. etc.. in order mat
the natural expansion and contraction OF The Cables
from heat and cold may have frye cour'" ana leave
the great structur, unimpnIrcd. u is common "
mark that the Bridge ha, broken back and the
u,irine awe How much docs n novel, How did
they ever think of doing thaii7 What would happen
II II WAS no, 50 arranged ?" isn't 10 wonderful
These are only sample - the questions which TINS
feature Of the Bridge provoke day after dhy. M"N
of the regular travellers have cudchvorcd n' W'''
81 pencil marks dinercnt hours Of the dav ?" hN''F
tain ju,t how much motion takes place Ter" in re
,ponsc 10 the law, Of heat and cold as r'y act upon
the thousands Of i, which maxi" up o." great 'a''-'
Ihc motion b., not great. nor I- 81 iufarAtI" II ih'
slip Joint had no, been provided however u doc not
require high degree Of Imagination 90 -re that th'ft
would have been mischief some" here.
The point where the Zip Joint PLACED D.. the ma'h"
NAUTICAL centre between the tower, which an nearly
600 feet apart lut !, by means the ocrire 81
the Bridge taken from one tcriuluu, q. the other
man who walked from BrOohyu 20 H"v York in tie
first summer the Bridge va, opened found tni, ont u
% was that VIII cause him long - remember I-
II Will be- remembered that 10" bridge
railroad va, not put ia operation until Tire fall "I''i
the promenade and fhc roadway thrown open {"
the public. The ypury man loo question Was ln
hurry aud resolved to Tine hlmscli Whom Dee looked
40 hi. watch a. Dee passed the middle - the H1dr"
he thought hc making pretty god record +"
had taken him nearly eight minutes - come ih't dlr
lance 4, the rest 81 the Way Was down hll he was
confident that he would complete The pn,-ate 10
fifteen minute. or les. - hls establishment, "h"n
hc took out hI, watch a. thc Sew s orS end Do" lad
Lccn sixteen minutes and half 1t fit De could
not understand IL. !" ,,' '',,''.- 49,. ,'''
me"'I'i'a me mater U" 80. " 49,, ,.'a.,
was made mar inc N'" l''@ "pl'o''' ." ,.,l,',
j. con 'u"f''N '''-'' """ - 10
ana 'n' NV ''o'' '."'.,- ~r
-....... ...,,
WHAT AK IH'>L "Vi'V" 1870 ''''' '''
one Of the most curious conception, me writer ha-
ever heard iu reference 10 'hc bridge Was That 81 an
ntciicn' mau 81 middle aec college graduate and %
school teacher Who "n "'IAn- over tine structure ''
10" fret tm" looked long ara ">Ni'' y ~ '"' ''''
ard 80 l'ueth asked h' ii'nd "h"' th'-' mono" iron
tube V'rr for. lii- friends '''"Hl hh'ht 81. N'
question vns clnh 20 Ma - th" Gner''n'r "h'"
Doc Wa told that What Do" lad taken for Ap'i'" ZION
tube. v,r. tlr pr. pal fi.ior iu Pc great structure.
and 'ni .i,, Vcro each .old mas composed ~