New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-24
TEN YEARS or the BRTDGE.

Ten years ago to-day the Ncw-York and Brook
lvn Bridge was opened 10 public use. The prrs-
ent is accordingly. fitting time to glance at the
record Of tic first decad. in the history Of the
structure and ascertain how far il has met the
public expectation and justified the enormous
expenditure required 10 complete II. One OF the
things that must strike every observer forcibly
is that she Brooklyn Bridge has not been Il sue
ccss.in the sense that il has demonstrated the
wisdom Of Il municipality engaging in public
works Of this class. No one has seriously pro-
posed in the last ten years that the two cities
should undertake 10 build another bridge, and
any one who should present such proposition
for public consideration would be langhe to scorn
II is the universal opinion that future bridges,
whether across the East or North River. must be
private enterprises so much may be said 10 have
been demonstrated by the experiment with the
lnl, Of steel and st,r, which binds together New
York and Brooklyn.
ShrcNd observers early saw that the principal
use OF the great work would he US n railroad
bridge. and This j. more aprarcat now than ever
before During the frs, months after the Bridge
was opened, and before the railway was put in
operation. large numbers OF people walked across
the promenade, and gladly paid one cent for the
privilege Of doing 50 but even with the much
several years, the number OF foot passengers was
not large Since the abolition Of tolls on TINS
rart Of tho structure the footwalk has, of course,
been extensively used, but the number OF rail
way passengers does not appear 10 have been
nppreciably affected Unfortunately. the Brdg"
managers failed 20 perceive with clcarn"Ss the
probable growth OF the railway business ana
did not take measures hetimcs 10 provide for ".
Even when they at last took up the solution
Of the problem In earnest II policy Of delay
IND general incomletency prevailed, so tiao
many months ego the overcrowdinG during the
busiest hours OF the day became disgraccful ana
dangerous Relief j. promised in the not re-
mote future, but the Bridgc-using public would
rejoice TO SEQ more energetic policy initiated.
Some ground for hope in this direction ~
furnished in the reorganization accomplished by
means Of a bill passed by the Legislature when
recently adjourned Doubtless still better re-
suits would have been achieved il tho Mayors OF
tho two cities had seen IL TO make up Board OF
Trustees composed If entirely new men, instead OF
appointing those already IN the rut. With the
smaller Board, however. fairly rapid progress may
reasonably be hoped for. 1t is, most certainly, tho
clear duty Of the trustees - bend every energy IN
tho direction of cnarsng the carrying capacity OF
the Bridge TO the utmost. Meantime other
Bridges across the Fast liver arc in contcmpa-
ton, aul the probabilities are that when the
second decade OF the existing Bridge is completed
ut least two or three other bridges will be in
operation. Put none Of them will be built with
public money Ono bridge owned and run as a
public enterprise il quite sufficient for the present
generation, and will no doubt be all-suicient for
at least several generations TO come.