Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-08-26
BRIDGES OF NEW YORK.
A Correspo aaent Writes Interest
ingly of Them.

its bridges.
That over which there is the most
traffic is the Brooklyn suspension
bridge. Brooklyn bsing mostly a city Of
homes, large proportion of its people
C me to New York daily to business
1t is one of the largest suspension
bridges in the world and was thirteen
years in construction. 1t Is 59S9 feet
long and consists of a central span be-
tween two towers and from them two
spans to the anchorage on each side;
these towers rest upon rock foundd-
dation eighty feet below the waters
surface and forty feet below the rivers
bed. Four steel-wire cables fifteen and
| three-quarter inches in diameter sup
port the span; the other cables which
| pass over the towers are sustained by
masses of solid masonry weighing Co.
| 600 tons each, at the anchorage. This
bridge is eighty-hve feet wide and is
! is divided into five passage ways; the
central one is a footpath raised above
| the others giving an unObstructed vie y
| Of the two cities, the river and the bay
With its interesting islands; next to
| this on each side are tracks for cars
worked frcm the brooklyn terminus
from a stationary engine by cables; and
outside of these the ways for trucks,
carts, carriages etc. The approaches to
the bridge are on iron-work and
masonry. The fee to walk across was
at first one cent, later it was abolished
and WAS immediately celebrated by Il
crowd of news boys running across at
midnight from Brooklyn TO New York
The bridge was designed by john A.
Roebling who was made chief engineer
but died from an accident before the
construction began; his son Washing
ton i. ROebli G, whO was assistant eu-
sinneer took his place ard he through
exposure and OverwoTk be ;ame an in
valid confined to his house IN Columbia.
Heights, Brooklyn for ten years, but
Notwithstanding his apparent inability
he directed the work TO the end by
watching daily from his window
through telescope the progress Of the
C Instruction and sending his directions
TO the build RS through wife. The
cost was S15, 100000, Brooklyn paying
two thirds aud New York cne-third.
Most vessels can pass under IT excepting
large sailing vessels, watch have to lower
their top masts. 1t starts on the New
York de from the vicinity of the
Swrmp, the lel .her dealers e'tlemen::
Park row, th4 headquarters of most of
the d, lily papers and many of the week
lies; city hall and other official build
ings in the City Hall park; and in sight
Of St. Paul's church which Washington
attended and cid Trinity with it9 chime
Of bells and burying ground. On the
Brooklyn side it Is not far from the
stores on Fulton street which is the
principal shopping district for ladies
in that city; these sores are powerful
rivals to the New York stores in tier
size, display of goods and means of &C
commodating customers. AT the bridge
terminus is a great center of the
Brooklyn elevated roads.
The newest is Washington bridge
which CROSSES the Harlem river near
1S0th street 1t was commenced in
1856 and completed in 1889; has two
main arches of iron and several smaller
ones Of granite; it has cemented
driveway over which the p; ople in this
locality drive iH their carriages, and two
sidewalks OF blue stone for foot pas
sengars; the side walls OF the bridge are
granite at tbe eud and iron IL the center
over the river; built in them are several |
granite settees where people may sit |
and rest; leading from one side of the
bridge down to tae road below are two |
flights of wide stone steps. This bridge |
was built to connect the upper districts !
OF New York and in summer is a great |
resort for the New Workers who remain |
at home. At the side OF the east en- |
trance is the private residence, with ex-
tensive grounds eXquIs,t tely laid out, |
of wealthy lady.
A short distance below is High bridge, |
over the Harlem river and valley. Tne |
walk between Washington and High |
bridges On tha east side is pleasant, past |
a shaded road, two pretty villas and |
several pavl.ons, where refreshments of |
"Ice cream, ice cold lemonade, milk |
fresh-TOasted peanuts," etc,
can be obtained. The walk between the !
two bridges, on the west side, is not so |
pleasant owing 10 the amount of eXca
vatiOns being made, although the walk |
is shaded and the cable cars run here,
carrying the mail, mounted pollcem 40
is seen riding around, and there are also |
pavllions and phOtogrs-
pher " ho will accommodate visitors with |
tln-type pictures OF themselves. This |
b idge is built of granite and consists
OF eight arches which, from heir lower |
sides, are 100 feet clear of the water. II |!
has brick pavement and is OILY used |
for foot passengers. 1t cost 100000 |
and was built for the use Of the old |
croton aqueduct. The water is con-
veyed across in cGst-iron pipes, large |
enough in dismet for tall man to
stand inside, and incl sed in brick ma
s)nry. At the east end is small gran
its building, where the water can be |
seen running into the pipes. Near the
west end of the bridge is pleasant |
,dS, whero tha but critics with their |
rich, dull coats sport and where are
heard the sounds of the running stream
over the stones, ruslting of the leaves,
Warblipg of the birds, call of the work
man at h work, striking of hammer
and putting of the railroad engine; all
Of which suggests the piece of band
music representing the sounds in the
woods and in the convent at the hour of
prayer. In the vicinity are numerous
granite rocks. Near the bridge, and
ninety-one steps up, is the tower, and
22S steps more brings us TO the top OF
the tower, where fine view is had OF
New York city, the winding of the
Hudson and tae New Jersey wooded
shore, beauti ul with it's apparently
solid mass of green leaves below and at
the beginning of the Pals des, High
and Washington bridges; the Harlem
river, with its numerous boat houses
with row boats to let and little steamers
gliding along with excurslonists, clumps
of woods winding roads, villas and
farms in Westchester.
Another over the river is the Harlem
bridge, which crosses at about east One
Hundred and Thirtieth street, and is an
iron draw bridge resting on iron piers in