The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-16
CORBIN'SGREAT BRIDGE.
WORK oyA PIER ON BLACK WELLS
SOON TO BE BEGUN.
The Long fsisnd Rs,irosd Tsr"'hsi
station In New.
York.

The bridge that The Long Island Rail-
road Company has for so long contem-
plated building across the East river and
Blackwelrs Island has at last passed be-
yond the stage of speculation and sur
mlce. and Will soon become a reality
The former plans and ideas that Austin
Corbin and his associates had, and upon
which II was thought that bridge wouid
be built, have been considerably change1'
and work has already been commenced on
the bridge under the more thoroughly
m3tured plans
The FIRST correrdam. or caisson, has al
ready been sunk on the west SIDE OF
Blackwelrs Island. 1t was sunk ABOUT
month ago. and Is now ready Tor pumping
operations preparatory 10 starting inc
building OF the first pier.
The second pier viii be on the east
ride OF Blackwelrs Island, and the cof-
ferdam for this will be sunk tomorrow
>n the midday tide. The cofferdams for
the piers which are 10 be on the shores
OF this city and Long Island will he ready
within the next four or 1--WE weeks
The six piers that VIII support the
bridge will be built of great blocks OF
Connecticut granite. and will contain in
oil l,026c0 cubic feet-Sl0,O0 cubic teet
In the four main piers and 2lo,W CUBIC
feet in the two anchor piers.
The platform OF the bridge VIII carry
trackway In the centre. with four tracks
upon IL. and carriageways and 1901 pains
on each side of IT,.
The weight OF the steel TO be used In
the bridge proper will be 100000 pounds,
and the steel to be used in the viaducts,
or approaches. on the New YORK ana
Long Island ends Will weigh 25,oW,WV
pounds.
The bridge will be built on the can't
lever plan. The upper strlngpiece on the
span across Blackwelfs Island VIII be
10 feet above the cap of the piers. ana
the roadway OF the bridge will be lS0
feet above high water, the same as that
OF the Brooklyn Bridge
The spans across the river will be SAG
feet each. and the one across Blackwells
Island will be 6l3 feet with one contin-
uous girder.
The material used in constructing the
bridge will make il the heaviest bridge
structure. per lineal foot, in the world.
Its magnitude i'm detail may be gathered
from the statement that IL Is 10 be what
is termed a pin-connected cantilever, the
pins Of which are 10 be eighteen inches
in diameter and will weigh about three
tons each.
Charles NJ. Jacobs, the consulting en-
gineer. speaking of the bridge SAID:
working out for Austin Corbin and gen
tlanen interested the details of this
work, which has now assumed the posi-
ton OF being able to call for bids from the
largest bridge builders, and propositions
from all of them are now in our hands.
1.-The terminal station in New York will
cover an entire block, between Second
and Third avenues; ii will contain twelve
tracks, at an elevation Of about twenty
five feet above the elevated roads, and
will connect with both elevated lines.
The ground floor will be huge market,
with galleries seventy-five feet wide. The
basement will be utilized for machinery
and various purposes, and the sub-base-
ment will be for cold storage, so that the
produce left over may be stored for the
following day.
'"rhe exact location in New York of
the terminal station will not be finally
fixed until negotiations have been COM
pIeted for the necessary real estate, but,
as under the act of Congress and the
State laws, we have power to condemn
all lands required. we see no difficulty
before us.
Finally. men, money, and brains are
all secured for this enterprise. and the
summer season Of 1897 will see united
Long Island and New York by one of the
finest pieces of engineering in a bridge
structure and terminal I'm the world