The evening world., 1890-04-01
LAYING A new BRIDGE CLB[E.
Picturesque Scene on the Great
Structure This Morning,
Gangs of Men at Work between Sea
and Sky to Il, sumo Traffic.

For three hours this morning gangs Of
men worked under the electric lights of the
Brooklyn Bridge getting new cable riRged
in time for the rush OF traffic which began
soon after sunrise.
1twas not until after o'clock that the
traction cable. which broke about o'clock
last night, was replaced with new one and
the road in condition to accommodate traffic
AZ usual.
Supt. Martin spent the whole night on the
great structure directing the force OF work
men who were putting On the new cable.
IL was found at the old one had parted
within 200 feet of the Brooklyn landing.
Ii was the first time that cab e las broken.
he break occurred at tue busiest hour,
WHOM thouSands we're going to their home
III Brooklyn. Travel was unusually heavy
on account Of the snowStorm VIII ch, set ~
about that time. and many who usually wax
across dcCided to ride.
The cable was running it's full capacity Of
cars. the big engine on the Brooklyn side
and twelve trains of four cars each were
running under ninety seconds hoalwav,
when the cable suddenly anappeI about two
hundred yards n fr1nt Of that was
rams stopped as " paralyZcd in the posi-
tons they were in, and swift ,h- engines were
sent ont 70 pull IN the stranded carr.
:. A great Jam Of people gathered at the New
York side. Those on the outside of the
crowd thought the delay would be only for a
few moments and shoyed forward.
An eNtra force OF policemen were required
to drive the mob away and make them I'M
derstand that it would be hours, perhaps.
before riding would be possible on the
bridge. For more than an hour not a car
went back or forth on the bridge. Then q
few trains were run on the south track I'M
der fifteen minutes Roadway with the aid OF
locomotives.
Supt Martin. had large force Of men at
work within q few minutes after the acci-
dent occurred.
The broken cable was an old one. and had
been apliced several times. 1t was examined
last Saturday and was all right then, but
Mr.. Martin had decided TO replace 1t, and
he ordered a new cable at n coFt of So. 900.
cable which has never been used. and this
was put i'll last night in place Of the old one.
more picturesque sight than the men at
work mp there amid the network of steel
and iron could not be imagined.
The snow fell fast and the wind whistled
shrilly about them. Electric lights and Ian
terms lit up the see O. with weird effect.
Below them flowed tho river black and
quiet. miSstep meant a plunge down
The men sat astraidle Of girders, or
crawled on hands and knees from ono Hlee per
to another. as they bent the new cable,
Fortunately not mishap occurred, and
about "a. NJ. the old cable was replaced.
A trial trip was then made and IL was
found to be all right. Then MIR. Martin and
his workmen went home.
Between ! aud 5'o'clock every morning
trains are only drawn by locomotives. and
was not really tested fully until the days
travel began at o'clock this morning, when
the rush from Brooklyn began.
1t worked all right, and at 10 A, NJ, after
will be ever required to carry. II was giving
great satisfaction.